British Airways, Lufthansa cancel flights to Cairo over security concerns

British Airways (BA) and Lufthansa have abruptly suspended flights to Cairo over security concerns, without giving further details.

BA began its seven-day suspension of its flights to Cairo on Saturday, in a move intended as a precaution to “allow for further assessment.” German airline Lufthansa also canceled flights to Cairo from Munich and Frankfurt on Saturday, but said it was  “evaluating the situation.” 

“There is a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation,” Britain’s Foreign Office said in a travel advisory to British nationals heading to Egypt. In a travel advisory to British nationals heading to Egypt.

The Foreign Office said flights departing Egypt for the UK were also undergoing “additional security measures,” and urged passengers to “cooperate fully with security officials at airports.”

Security checks in Cairo

A spokeswoman for BA said the airline could not immediately offer more information. But officials at Cairo’s international airport were quoted by The Associated Press as saying that the suspension came after a British security check at the airport earlier this week.

Egyptian officials quoted on the condition of anonymity said other airlines were operating as usual.

Lufthansa later said it expected to resume flights on Sunday.

“As safety is always a top priority for Lufthansa, the airline has today provisionally suspended its flights to Cairo while an evaluation of the situation takes place,” stated the airline, without giving further details.

Tourism is a key source of foreign revenue for Egypt. The sector has been recovering in the wake of the nation’s 2011 uprising and the 2015 jihadi bombing of a Russian jet carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.