Downing Street has defended the decision to divert the official UK government aircraft to Manchester to collect Prime Minister Andy Burnham, rather than having him travel to London before departure for the Commonwealth heads of government summit. The Airbus A321neo, registered G-GBNI, departed London Stansted Airport bound for Saint John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, at approximately 06:00 on Monday without Burnham aboard, landed in Manchester 30 minutes later to pick him up, and then resumed its transatlantic journey.
According to BBC News, the routing sparked significant criticism on social media regarding value for money, though Number 10 stated that security considerations, cost analysis, and operational requirements all informed the decision. Flight tracking data revealed the jet completed a 35-minute flight to Manchester on Monday morning, where it remained on the tarmac for one hour and 30 minutes before departing at 08:00 for St John's.
Burnham's wife, Marie-France van Heel, was also collected in Manchester as part of the arrangement. According to the Oxford Mail, estimates attributed to Guido Fawkes suggested the detour cost approximately £20,000 in additional expenses, though this figure remains unofficial and unconfirmed by the government.
Why did the plane not collect Burnham in London?
When asked why Burnham had not travelled to London instead, his official spokesperson explained the routing to journalists:
The prime minister's travel arrangements reflect where he was carrying out official government business at the end of last week. As you know, he spent the day in Scotland on Friday; returned to Manchester to work from Number 10 North on Friday evening.This reference to Number 10 North reflects Burnham's established practice of operating from the Manchester branch of the Prime Minister's office, which he established as his base when taking office.
What criticism has the decision faced?
Conservative MP and shadow cabinet minister Neil O'Brien attacked the government's handling of the arrangement, accusing Labour of managing to
waste taxpayers' money and jet fuel so they can posture. He continued:
You have to pay through the nose for energy and fuel to pursue their Net Zero obsession... But when it's them, the rules are different.
The precise cost of the London-to-Manchester diversion remains unclear, as the Cabinet Office's transparency data for the official plane lists only overseas trips. Burnham's flights have not yet appeared in the published records, as the data is released quarterly. The most recent available figures, covering April to June 2026, show that then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made four round trips on the jet, including a £121,000 journey to Armenia with 21 officials for the European Political Community Summit, and a £39,000 trip from the UK to Paris in April. The actual cost of each flight varies depending on the number of accompanying officials, fuel prices, and other factors such as landing fees.
It remains uncertain whether transporting the prime minister, his security detail, and officials by train or road from Manchester to Stansted would have represented a significantly cheaper alternative.
What is the background to this trip?
Burnham will participate in the Commonwealth heads of government summit, which concludes a tour of the Caribbean by King Charles. The prime minister has indicated he is
opento the possibility of the UK formally apologising for its role in slavery. CHOGM 2026 is the 28th Commonwealth leaders' meeting and is expected to bring together representatives of the Commonwealth's 2.7 billion people. The summit represents a significant diplomatic engagement for Burnham, who has already been active in his role as prime minister, having hosted the Irish Taoiseach at No 10 North in Manchester as the UK seeks EU trade exemptions.
What happens next at the summit?
The aircraft continued via Canada for a refuelling stop, rather than flying directly to Antigua. King Charles is scheduled to address the opening ceremony on 3 November, accompanied by Queen Camilla, with the summit running through 4 November in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda.
How much does the official plane cost to operate?
The official UK Government plane is regularly used by British prime ministers and royals for overseas trips. A previous version of the aircraft, an RAF Voyager, underwent a £900,000 repaint job in 2020 before being replaced with the current Airbus A321neo. The cost of operating the plane varies significantly based on the distance travelled, the number of passengers, and operational factors, making direct comparisons between individual journeys difficult to assess.
