UK envoy apologises for not informing Egypt over flight suspension

UK’s Ambassador to Egypt Geoffrey Adams has apologised for not informing Egyptian authorities before British Airways decided to suspend flights to Cairo, said Egypt’s aviation minister on Sunday.

Younis Al-Masry expressed his displeasure at British Airways taking a decision unilaterally concerning the security of Egyptian airports without referring to the competent Egyptian authorities,” the aviation ministry said in a statement released after a meeting with Ambassador Adams.

The statement cited Adams as saying the flight suspension was not related to the security measures at Egyptian airports.

British Airways on Saturday suspended flights to Cairo for seven days “as a security precaution” as it reviews security at the city’s airport.

Later on Saturday, Germany’s Lufthansa said it had cancelled services from Munich and Frankfurt to Cairo for one day as it resumed flights on Sunday.

Tourism is a vital source of foreign revenue for Egypt. The sector has been recovering in the wake of the 2011 uprising and the 2015 terrorist bombing of a Russian jet carrying 224 holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, made Russia halt all flights to Egypt for several years and a number of countries including Britain to cease flights to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, which have yet to resume.