Ban on UK flights to Sharm el-Sheikh lifted
The Egyptian travel industry has been given a major boost with news that the UK government has lifted restrictions on flights to Sharm el-Sheikh.
Commercial flights to the popular Red Sea resort were banned in November 2015 after a Russian Metrojet airliner crashed soon after taking off from the airport, killing 224 people on board.
The incident prompted major concerns about the airport’s security procedures, as international investigators concluded that the plane had been destroyed by bomb that had been smuggled onboard.
The UK government said close cooperation between the UK and Egypt on aviation security meant that commercial flights could now resume.
Grant Shapps, the UK’s transport secretary, said lifting the restriction was the first step towards flights to Sharm el-Sheikh returning, but the safety and security of British nationals remained a top priority.
A spokesperson for the travel association ABTA said: “Sharm el-Sheikh has been a very popular destination for UK holidaymakers in the past, before the restrictions were in place. The news is also positive for the local economy in this region of Egypt that is reliant on the benefits travel and tourism bring.”
Germany lifted its flight ban the following year but Britain has only permitted flights to other Egyptian airports until this latest announcement.