US and UK scramble to arrange flights for stranded citizens

British and US nationals travelling overseas are struggling to return home as airlines suspend flights and airports close with little notice in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The UK Foreign Office Monday advised all British tourists to return to the UK, where commercial flights are available. However, travellers have warned flights are either not available, routed through airports expected to close, or in some cases priced at tens of thousands of pounds. A former cabinet minister warned British nationals were facing a “dire” situation and in some cases “no routes home”. UK officials said repatriation flights would only be organised in “exceptional circumstances”. US officials said the govt was also working round the clock to bring back citizens stranded abroad by the sudden cut-off in commercial flights. <br/>