Thursday March 28th, 2024
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British Airways Bans Flights to Sharm 'Indefinitely'

Another blow to the Egyptian tourism industry as tourist numbers continue to fall dramatically.

Staff Writer
British Airways has officially prolonged its suspension of flights to Sharm El Sheikh - indefinitely. 
 
The decision makes British Airways the first UK airline to stop travel to Egypt for the winter season explaining that “the safety and security of our customers will always be our top priority and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm El Sheikh indefinitely.” 
 
The news comes in the wake of the loss of the EgyptAir flight MS 804 in the Mediterranean in May. 
 
Other UK Airlines have stated previously that they had hoped to begin flights to Sharm in October, ahead of the winter season when tourists usually travel to warmer climates. 
 
Monarch, another UK airline whose flights to Sharm are canceled until October 30, said in a statement “should the travel advice change prior to 30th of October, Monarch will reassess the situation and decide when to restart services to Sharm El Sheikh."
 
Minister of Tourism Yehia Rashad asked British and Russian governments to reconsider their bans on travel to Egypt. Russia banned travel to Sharm after a flight from the local airport went down in a suspected bombing, killing all 224 on-board in October of last year.  
 
Tourist numbers in Egypt fell 40 percent in the first quarter of 2016, in part due to the lack of British and Russian tourists.