Russian Federation suspends flights to Egypt

The jet, carrying mostly Russian families returning from Red Sea vacations, was 23 minutes into its flight last Saturday from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg when it disappeared from radar over the Sinai Peninsula.

President Vladimir Putin ordered flights halted on the recommendation from his security chief, the Kremlin said, although Moscow had previously downplayed reports that a bomb caused the crash. Neither Putin nor Alexander Bortnikov offered the timeline for the suspension or the repatriation.

President Vladimir Putin halted all Russian flights to Egypt Friday, November 6, “until we know the true causes of the incident”.i.e. the cause of the Russian Metrojet flight crash over Sinai Saturday which killed all 224 people aboard.

The newspaper said the communications and “chatter” – was what prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to say that it was “more likely than not” the Russian aircraft was brought down in a terrorist attack. In most airports worldwide, passengers and their carry-on bags are subject to x-ray machines, metal detectors and, in a few cases, bomb-sniffing dogs.

United Kingdom officials said they were working with their Egyptian counterparts to ensure the scheduled flights leave.

Thousands of British tourists stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh were told they would be able to fly home yesterday – but with only their hand luggage, because investigations into security at the airport centred on baggage handlers.

Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands also suspended flights to the resort. “It was how we were dealt with afterward….”

“When are we going home?” one irate tourist shouted at British Ambassador to Egypt John Casson when he appeared in the departure hall trying to reassure the beleaguered travelers. Neither carrier is operating passenger flights from the U.K.to Sharm el-Sheikh.

The British airline EasyJet says two of its flights have left the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh with 379 passengers, while Egyptian authorities aren’t allowing seven others to operate.

Two sources with knowledge of the matter said the bomb may have been hidden in luggage in the hold of the Russian plane.

The scanner was one of at least five granted by Britain, and another scanner is used at Cairo’s airport but only to scan luggage for flights to London and Paris, according to two security officials there. Looking at the long security line, he said that he “can understand why they have this situation here but personally, we’ve had no problems at all”. The easyJet plane had been due to leave the holiday resort on Wednesday but Britain suspended flights, warning about security at Sharm el-Sheikh airport and saying it feared a bomb may have brought down a Russian jet departing from there last week.

“Why all of a sudden is everything on hold?” asked one of the stranded British tourists, Carla Dublin.

British airlines are struggling to repatriate another 20,000 people stuck in Sharm el-Sheikh.

“There hasn’t been anything else we could have done but go with the flow and it will be good to finally be back home”.

Johnson said the enhancements, also adopted by European aviation authorities, “are created to provide an additional layer of security for the traveling public, and will be undertaken in consultation with relevant foreign governments and relevant passenger and cargo airlines”.

“Terrorist groups may expand targeted areas to include coastal resorts such as Sharm el-Sheikh”, the advisory page warns.

The Islamic State group, which has not generally pursued “spectacular” attacks outside its base in Syria, has claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane, but Russian and Egyptian officials say the claim was not credible.

It also comes amid tensions between the West and Russian Federation over ongoing air strikes in Syria.