Russia bans flights by EgyptAir from Nov. 14: airport official

Russian aviation authorities have banned Egypt Air from flying into the country, one of Moscow’s airports said Friday, with Russian flights between the two countries already suspended following the passenger jet crash in Sinai.

The agency did not give any immediate reason for the ban on flights.

Russia’s ambassador to Cairo, Sergei Kirpichenko, told a local television channel there that cancellations of EgyptAir flights to Russian Federation were “temporary security measures”. Britain and several airlines have stopped normally scheduled flights to the resort, while Russian Federation has suspended all flights to Egypt because of security concerns.

As investigators continue to try and determine what caused the crash of Russian Metrojet flight 9268, Egypt’s civil aviation minister said a recording that features a sound before the plane broke up in the air would be spent overseas to be analyzed, AFP reported Friday.

Monarch is cancelling all further flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh until December 20. Thousands of holidaymakers were stranded in the area.

But Russian Federation and Egypt said as the official crash probe has not concluded, the statements were premature.

On Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi visited Sharm el-Sheikh, saying “Egypt is safe”, and urging the global community to inspect the airport.

With a monthly salary of about $600, Oxana said she lived comfortably in Sharm – a favourite holiday destination for millions attracted by its pristine beaches, sunny weather and diving sites.

The restrictions have dealt a severe blow to Egypt’s tourism industry, a main revenue earner, and have been denounced by the Egyptian government which has said the cause of the incident has yet to be determined.

More than 13,000 passengers have since been repatriated since flights resumed on 6 November.

Bedouins, who live mainly in the Sinai desert, of the Islamic State’s Egyptian affiliate which has claimed credit for bringing down the Russian airliner.