UK finally lifts flights ban to Sharm el-Sheikh

UK authorities have lifted a flight ban pertaining to services to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, 4 years after imposing the restriction. The ban followed security concerns after a Russian-operated Airbus A321 crashed in Sinai in Oct 2015 – a loss which Russian authorities believe was the result of sabotage. UK flights to the resort have since been prohibited. The route had been served by carriers including British Airways and EasyJet, as well as leisure operators Monarch Airlines and Thomas Cook Airlines – both of which have since ceased trading. Monarch, in particular, had highlighted the ban as being among the financial pressures on the carrier a few months before its failure. But the UK govt has worked with Egyptian authorities to address the situation, and it is lifting the restrictions from Oct 22. <br/>