UK Thomas Cook Airline Extends Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh Flight Cancellation

The United Kingdom’s Thomas Cook airline extended its flight cancellations to the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh until October 31, the company said Tuesday.

LONDON (Sputnik) – Britain grounded flights to the resort in the Sinai Peninsula after a Russian airliner crashed in the desert on October 31, soon after it took off from the Sharm el-Sheikh airport. Thomas Cook previously set the date to resume flights at May 25.

"Thomas Cook can confirm that it has taken the decision to cancel all bookings to Sharm el-Sheikh up to and including Monday 31 October," the firm said, citing no changes in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s travel advisory.

British Airways extended its cancellation into September 15, while the EasyJet low-coster said it would not resume flights between the United Kingdom and the Egyptian resort until changes are announced to the British government’s advisories.

The investigation into the cause of the deadliest crash in Russia’s civil aviation history is continuing, but Russian authorities said in mid-November that it appeared to have been caused by an explosive device on board the flight. Militants affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIL) terror group, outlawed in Russia, claimed credit for what they said was a bomb attack.