The suspension of flights in and out of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt after the crash of a Russian airliner will affect around 20,000 British travellers who are in the Red Sea resorts of the Sinai peninsula, according to Downing Street.
The UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said his government is now advising against all but essential travel through Sharm el-Sheikh airport in Egypt as there is a “significant possibility” that the Airbus that crashed over the Sinai on Saturday, killing all 224 people on board, was brought down by an explosion on board.
The remarks were the strongest yet by an official on the cause of the crash. US officials have also suggested a bomb was planted on the plane by Islamic State (Isis) or an Isis affiliate, according to several media reports citing unnamed sources.
Two US officials and one European official said that intelligence reporting is leaning toward terrorism as a cause of the crash, but cautioned there was no conclusive proof yet.
The unilateral decision to delay the flights comes as David Cameron and Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the Egyptian president, are due to hold talks in Downing Street.
Both Egypt and Russia have downplayed suggestions that the crash is linked to terrorism and dismissed claims of responsibility by an Islamist group in Sinai. Egypt’s foreign minister attacked the UK’s suspension of flights as a “premature and unwarranted” step which would damage his country’s tourism industry.
The British government flew additional consular staff to Sharm on Wednesday to help holidaymakers who might be stranded following its decision to halt all flights to the UK pending security checks at the airport.
EasyJet, Thomson Airways, Thomas Cook and British Airways were among companies cancelling all flights to and from the Red Sea resort, following the Foreign Office warning against “all but essential” travel.
Travel agents with customers in the Red Sea resorts said they were talking to the Foreign Office to assess the situation for holidaymakers.
“We are liaising with the UK government about the halt to flights in and out of Sharm el-Sheikh airport and how we can assist our members and customers in resort, or those due to travel out,” said a spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). “We will provide further updates when they are available.”
The plane had taken off from Sharm el-Sheikh early on Saturday morning and disappeared from the radar about 25 minutes later, at around 6.20am local time. Everyone on board was killed.
The UK has intervened despite playing no part in the crash’s official investigation committee, which is formed from representatives from Ireland, Russia, France and Germany. Ireland later followed the UK’s lead and suspended flights to the same airport.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “We recognise that this information may cause concern for those in Sharm and indeed for those planning to travel to Sharm in the coming days.
“We have deployed extra consular staff to Sharm who will be on hand at the airport, working with the airlines, to assist British holidaymakers there. For others, either in resorts at Sharm or planning a holiday to Sharm in the coming days, our advice is to contact your airline or tour operator.”
An Abta spokesperson said: “Most insurance policies will still provide cover for holidaymakers in a country at the time of FO advice change.
“Those with holidays booked within the next 48 hours to Sharm el-Sheikh are advised to contact their travel company to discuss their options. If you have booked a package you will be entitled to a refund or alternative holiday.
“If you are not travelling within the next 48 hours you will need to check with your travel company as to what your options are and follow their advice.
“Those people with bookings beyond this are advised to wait until closer to the departure date to contact their travel company as the situation is reviewed.”
EasyJet said it had cancelled flights and would keep future services “under review pending further advice from the government”.
“Passengers booked to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh in the next two weeks are able to request a refund, or change their flights to an alternative date or destination free of charge. We are doing all possible to keep all affected passengers informed and have provided hotel rooms for those delayed overnight on Wednesday evening. We are working with the UK government to work out the basis upon which easyJet can fly passengers in Sharm el-Sheikh back home.”
Thomson Airways, along with First Choice, confirmed it has cancelled all outbound flights to Sharm el-Sheikh up to and including Thursday 12 November. A statement said: “All customers booked to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh in this period will be provided with a full refund. As a priority we are contacting customers due to travel tomorrow and ask those travelling later in the week to please bear with us as we manage this evolving situation.” Others who flew to Sharm on a flight-only basis should call the airline, Thomson said.
British Airways said flights to and from the resort would probably be delayed by 24 hours. A spokesman said: “The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. We would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.” Customers affected were advised to contact the airline.
Thomas Cook said it had cancelled all flights until Thursday of next week. It hoped to bring its 1,700 customers back to the UK “in due course” and those due to fly this Thursday would be allowed to stay in their accommodation for free; while those due to fly in the next week would be allowed to cancel or rebook with a discount, the firm said.
Monarch said it had grounded all flights and was working with the FO to arrange to fly its customers back to the UK.
Terry Wylde, 35, from Newham in east London was among the British tourists currently stuck in Sharm el Sheikh. He said: “We have had no information from our Thomas Cook tour representatives even just to give an update. But it is important they put safety first. We’re currently due to fly back on Friday afternoon and were not too concerned about it just yet.”
Mohammed Sami, general manager of the Coral Sea Sensatori, one of Sharm el-Sheikh’s largest resorts, said the move had created uncertainty for holidaymakers.
“We can’t tell what will happen tomorrow,” he said. “If guests are not flying home then either us as the hotel or the tour operators will have to find a way for guests to be accommodated. We will not leave them without accommodation.”
He said some British guests left on Wednesday, but he did not know if they had made it out on flights before they stopped. British guests make up the large majority of the customers in his 470-room hotel. He said he was “surprised” at the UK government’s decision “because Sharm is a pretty safe city”.
“We have no clear information saying they found particular concerns at the airport or in the destination,” he said.
Back in the UK, Londoner Susan Baker was due to flight to Sharm el-Sheikh tomorrow with easyjet and was trying to get word from the airline about what would happen.
“I have never wanted to go before. I just needed a break and found a few flights, but at the same time I don’t live my life being dictated by a bomb, if it was, or terrorists.”
One British holidaymaker in Egypt tweeted: “So flights have been suspended from Sharm el-Sheikh. We fly back in two days’ time. However security is more important than a missed flight.”
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