Lufthansa resumed its flights to Cairo on Sunday following a one-day suspension due to safety concerns. The German airline’s website reveals that LH582 plane took off from Frankfurt after a two-hour delay and arrived in Egypt’s capital Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, British Airways persisted with its seven-day suspension of flights to Cairo, and Egyptian Lt. General Younes Elmasry, Egypt’s minister of civil aviation, said he’s frustrated that the airline suspended flights without consulting Egyptian authorities.
Elmasry met Sunday with Sir Geoffrey Adams, the British ambassador to Egypt, and both said they would work together to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
Adams apologized for not informing Egyptian authorities before British Airways announced it was suspending flights to and from Egypt for a week.
The US has warned its citizens Friday about travelling to Egypt, saying terrorist groups including the Islamic State group committed multiple deadly attacks. British authorities also warned against traveling to parts of Egypt due to terrorist attacks.
British Airways attributed its cancellations to what it called its constant review of security arrangements at all airports, calling them “a precaution to allow for further assessment.”
The British Foreign Office had updated its travel advice on Saturday with the British Airways suspension. The Lufthansa website also included a link to the British warning page.
In its travel advice for British nationals heading to Egypt, the Foreign Office in London warns: “There’s a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation.”
“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt. Although most attacks occur in North Sinai, there is a risk of terrorist attacks across the country,” Britons were warned.
Britain cancelled flights to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh in 2015 after jihadists bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort, killing more than 220 people on board.
