LONDON: UK airlines can resume flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, suspended after a Daesh bombing brought down a Russian passenger plane over Sinai four years ago, killing all 224 people on board, the British government said Tuesday.
The Department for Transport said “improvements in security procedures at the airport, and close co-operation between the UK and Egypt on aviation security, mean commercial airlines can now be allowed to operate routes to and from the airport.”
“We look forward to services to Sharm El-Sheikh resuming, and lifting the restriction is the first step in that process,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, stressing that the “safety and security of British nationals remains our top priority.”
Sharm El-Sheikh, a top resort on the Sinai Peninsula, had been a major package-holiday destination for British tourists before the November 2015 attack, which and was claimed by the Daesh group.
Since the attack, Egyptian authorities have spent millions of dollars to upgrade security at airports across the country.
Travel company Tui welcomed Britain’s decision and said it planned to re-introduce trips to Sharm El-Sheikh, “taking into account customer demand.”
Egypt also welcomed the decision. The country’s civil aviation ministry said in a statement that it was a “step forward in a new stage of more flights for UK holidaymakers to all Egyptian airports.”
Tourism Minister Rania El-Mashat hailed the decision as a “message to the world that Egypt is safe” and that it would have a “positive impact” on British tourists heading to Egypt.
Egypt’s vital tourism industry has been showing signs of recovery lately, after years in the doldrums because of the political turmoil and violence that followed a 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Hosni Mubarak. The downing of the Russian passenger jet was the final blow.
Airline easyJet said in a statement: “We are aware of the lifting of the restriction on UK airlines flying into Sharm El-Sheikh Airport and will look at any opportunities for easyJet and easyJet Holidays as a result.”
UK lifts flight ban to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh
UK lifts flight ban to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh
- Sharm El-Sheikh had been a major package-holiday destination for British tourists before the November 2015 attack
- Since the attack, Egyptian authorities have spent millions of dollars to upgrade security at airports across the country
US envoy Witkoff meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem: Israeli official
- Witkoff’s talks with Netanyahu on Tuesday marked his second encounter with the Israeli prime minister in less than a fortnight
JERUSALEM: US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, an Israeli official said, during a visit that followed the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt.
The official told AFP that the meeting was taking place in Jerusalem, but declined to provide details on the agenda.
It came as the United States was expected to hold talks with Israel’s arch-foe Iran later this week.
An Arab official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the meeting was likely to take place in Turkiye on Friday, following diplomatic interventions by Ankara, as well as Egypt, Oman and Qatar.
Witkoff’s talks with Netanyahu on Tuesday marked his second encounter with the Israeli prime minister in less than a fortnight. His previous visit took place days before the Rafah crossing was reopened.
Israeli media reported at the time that Witkoff and fellow US envoy Jared Kushner had pressed for the reopening of the crossing.
