Easyjet cancels flights to and from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh

British budget airline Easyjet on Tuesday said it had cancelled all flights to and from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh until next year over security doubts raised by the downing of a Russian jet.

"You will be aware that over the last few weeks, there have been significant issues associated with flying to and from Sharm el-Sheikh," the airline said in a statement.

"We can now confirm we will be cancelling all flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh until 6 January," it said.

It had already cancelled all outgoing flights up to November 25, but has been shipping holidaymakers back from the resort.

Britain temporarily suspended flights to the Red Sea resort, a popular destination for British tourists, immediately after the Russian plane went down on October 31 in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

Last week Russia confirmed that a bomb brought down the plane and the extremist Islamic State group said it had smuggled an explosive on board at Sharm el-Sheikh airport.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the attack raised doubts of "the capability of the security on the ground" at the airport.

The British government is advising against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el-Sheikh.

Easyjet operates flights from four British airports and an Italian airport to Sharm el-Sheikh.

All airlines operating between Britain and Sharm el-Sheikh have informed passengers in recent days of further cancellations.

British Airways said on Friday it had cancelled all flights up to and including December 17 while tour operator Thomas Cook on Monday announced its flight and holiday programme had been cancelled up to and including December 10.

TUI Group, which operates flights through its Thomson Airways, on Monday confirmed the cancellation of further outbound flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, up to and including December 9, while Monarch airline has cancelled all flights up to and including December 19.
Source: AFP