These flights would be subject to “additional security measures”, a government spokesman said in a statement, with passengers unable to check bags into the plane hold. In a sign of mounting fears about the security of baggage handling in Egypt, Dutch carrier KLM announced that it had banned check-in luggage on an early flight from Cairo, mirroring moves taken by several European airlines on Sharm flights.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered his government to suspend flights to Egypt until investigators are able to determine the cause of last weekend’s plane crash, state news agency TASS reported, citing his spokesperson.
British authorities planned to bring tourists home by Friday, and airlines Easyjet, Monarch, Thomson, and British Airways were expected to run UK-bound flights to collect the estimated 20,000 British tourists stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The airline adds that eight of its scheduled flights are still not authorized to leave Sharm el-Sheikh’s airport.
Egypt said this was because there was too much check-in luggage left at the airport.
Britain’s Foreign Office continues to advise against all but essential air travel to or from Sharm el-Sheikh airport as an investigation continues into the cause of the Russian plane crash.
British Airways, which has one flight leaving for Gatwick, said it had not been informed of any changes.
All 224 people aboard the Metrojet flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg were killed.
It comes as USA officials told Reuters intercepted intelligence “chatter” supported the theory that a bomb may have brought down the passenger plane.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said information obtained by United Kingdom officials indicated there was a “high probability” that the aircraft was brought down by an explosive device, though he said he was still waiting for final confirmation.
“We are working closely with the airline companies, with the Egyptian authorities, to ensure that we get British nationals out safely”, he said.
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On Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron said it is more likely than not a bomb allegedly placed on the flight by the Islamic State group or its supporters was the cause of the Russian airliner crash.
