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.”
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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
France to rally aid for Lebanon as it warns truce gains remain fragile
France said on Friday that Lebanon’s recovery remains precarious despite positive signs following a ceasefire and government transition, and it stood ready to support the country’s reconstruction if it continues with reforms.
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, addressing reporters after meetings in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other top officials, said France was prepared to host a dedicated conference in Paris on reconstruction, but only if reforms continue, legislation is passed and decisions are implemented.
While Lebanon has adopted banking secrecy and bank resolution laws, it must still complete restructuring, reach an IMF agreement and pass a loss-sharing law, Barrot said. He also urged swift action on Hezbollah disarmament and national reconciliation.
Barrot said Lebanon had reached a crucial juncture in implementing the November 2024 truce with Israel, as well as restoring state authority over weapons and stabilising a shattered financial system.
France, the country’s former colonial power, plans to mobilize international backing for the Lebanese armed forces and internal security forces at a separate conference scheduled for March 5 in Paris.
“Lebanon must work to restore confidence — that of its citizens, businesses, depositors, and the diaspora,” Barrot said.
France’s immediate focus was ensuring respect for the ceasefire, which he emphasized “implies that Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, in accordance with its commitments, and that civilians are protected from strikes,” alongside implementation by Lebanese authorities of an agreed-upon arms monopoly plan.
Lebanon has pledged to bring all arms in the country under state control, in line with the 2024 agreement that ended a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, and has asserted control over areas of the country closest to the border with Israel. But Hezbollah has warned the government that pressing on with efforts to disarm the group throughout the country would trigger chaos and possibly civil war.
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, addressing reporters after meetings in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other top officials, said France was prepared to host a dedicated conference in Paris on reconstruction, but only if reforms continue, legislation is passed and decisions are implemented.
While Lebanon has adopted banking secrecy and bank resolution laws, it must still complete restructuring, reach an IMF agreement and pass a loss-sharing law, Barrot said. He also urged swift action on Hezbollah disarmament and national reconciliation.
Barrot said Lebanon had reached a crucial juncture in implementing the November 2024 truce with Israel, as well as restoring state authority over weapons and stabilising a shattered financial system.
France, the country’s former colonial power, plans to mobilize international backing for the Lebanese armed forces and internal security forces at a separate conference scheduled for March 5 in Paris.
“Lebanon must work to restore confidence — that of its citizens, businesses, depositors, and the diaspora,” Barrot said.
France’s immediate focus was ensuring respect for the ceasefire, which he emphasized “implies that Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, in accordance with its commitments, and that civilians are protected from strikes,” alongside implementation by Lebanese authorities of an agreed-upon arms monopoly plan.
Lebanon has pledged to bring all arms in the country under state control, in line with the 2024 agreement that ended a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, and has asserted control over areas of the country closest to the border with Israel. But Hezbollah has warned the government that pressing on with efforts to disarm the group throughout the country would trigger chaos and possibly civil war.
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