British travel firms and airlines have cancelled flight departures to Sharm el-Sheikh for at least two more weeks, stoking Egyptian fears for its vital tourist industry following the Russian airliner crash.
No planes will leave Britain for Sharm until at least 25 November, as the UK government continues to review security amid mounting certainty that a bomb brought down the Metrojet flight 23 minutes after take-off from Sharm airport on 31 October, killing all 224 people on board.
Russia and other European countries have now followed the UK lead, advising against travel to Sharm el-Sheikh and bringing holidaymakers home, increasing the likelihood of Egypt’s most popular holiday resort remaining empty during peak season in December.
Thousands of Russians were at the head of the exodus on Monday. Moscow said about 25,000 of its tourists had now returned, on more than 100 flights.
Some travel firms and restaurant owners in Sharm are already considering closing down as tourists drain away from the resort, with bargain prices powerless to lure visitors while incoming flights are suspended. Tourism accounts for about 12% of Egypt’s GDP, with one in nine Egyptians working in the industry, according to theWorld Travel and Tourism Council.
The UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said on Sunday he expected flights to be restored before Christmas. But according to one holiday firm, even bookings for next year have all but evaporated.
A spokesperson for Monarch said that even with cancellation guarantees it had had just three or four bookings for 2016 since the crash, when normally holiday sales would be in three figures: “It’s way, way lower. You can’t compare it.”
Eleven flights carrying a total of 2,301 passengers left Sharm el-Sheikh for Britain on Monday. A British embassy spokeswoman in Egypt said 7,500 people had now left for the UK. More than 2,000 easyJet customers remain in Egypt after cancellations, but tour operators from Thomas Cook and Thomson reported that most of their remaining customers would return as scheduled when their holidays are concluded.
The Department for Transport said: “We are continuing to work closely with the Egyptian authorities and air carriers.” The DfT said passengers in Egypt should contact their airline or tour operator to confirm their flight before travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
Passengers will continue to travel without luggage as staff at the airport are investigated. The DfT confirmed that some of the baggage left in Sharm had now been returned on cargo planes. The spokesman added: “Our priority is bringing home the British nationals and guaranteeing their safety and security.”
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