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Russian plane crash: Airlines plan Sharm el-Sheikh repatriations Russian plane crash: Airlines plan Sharm el-Sheikh repatriations
(35 minutes later)
UK airlines say they could start to repatriate Britons stranded in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Friday, as security assessments at the airport continue.UK airlines say they could start to repatriate Britons stranded in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Friday, as security assessments at the airport continue.
Easyjet says nine flights could operate while Monarch hopes to run five - including three "rescue flights". Easyjet said nine flights could operate while Monarch hoped to run five.
PM David Cameron said it would be "some time" before all UK holidaymakers in the Red Sea resort were brought home. Thousands of British tourists remain stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh after the UK suspended all flights to and from the Red Sea resort.
The Foreign Office said it hoped flights would go ahead, but security issues "need to be resolved" first. The Foreign Office said it hoped Friday's flights would go ahead, but security issues "need to be resolved".
Thousands of British tourists remain stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh after the government's decision to cancel all flights to and from the Egyptian resort. Prime Minister David Cameron said it was increasingly likely a "terrorist bomb" caused a Russian passenger jet to crash on Saturday, killing all 224 on board.
The PM said it was increasingly likely a "terrorist bomb" caused a Russian passenger jet to crash on Saturday, killing all 224 on board. The Airbus A321 crashed over the Sinai peninsula, shortly after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
The Airbus A321 crashed over the Sinai peninsula shortly after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
It comes as:
Despite announcements from airlines, the Foreign Office said Friday's flights were "all subject to security reviews".
Security 'good enough'
However, Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi told reporters that security at the airport was tightened 10 months ago at the UK's request.
Experts had then assessed security at Egyptian airports and found the measures were "good enough", President Sisi added.
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Mr Cameron has held talks at Downing Street with Egyptian President Sisi, who arrived in the UK on Wednesday for a planned visit. It comes as:
The two leaders held "excellent" discussions, Mr Cameron said, while the Egyptian leader said he has "complete understanding" of the UK's position. A Number 10 spokesperson said the UK had been working with airlines and the Egyptian authorities to get flights to the UK "back up and running as soon as possible".
They said: "We are making good progress and hope to provide an update later this evening on the situation. Our utmost priority is to make sure that we have all the right measures in place to ensure British citizens can return safely to the UK."
Earlier, Mr Cameron held talks with Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who arrived in the UK on Wednesday for a planned visit.
President Sisi told reporters that security at the airport was tightened 10 months ago at the UK's request.
Experts had then assessed security at Egyptian airports and found the measures were "good enough", President Sisi added.
The leaders said the two countries were working together to get things back to normal as soon as possible.
Analysis
By Nick Hopkins, BBC Newsnight correspondent
British officials last year raised concerns with the Egyptian authorities about lax security at the airports in Sharm el-Sheikh and Cairo, BBC Newsnight has learned.
In particular, the UK was worried about security around baggage handling and access to restricted areas.
At a press conference with David Cameron in London today, Egypt's President Sisi confirmed a British security team travelled to Sharm el-Sheikh 10 months ago and decreed that the systems there were fine.
However, UK officials continued to have doubts and feared that in recent months the situation at the airport "had slipped back", Whitehall sources said.
The UK decided to stop British flights in and out of the resort after assessing several different strands of intelligence, including material from GCHQ. It left the prime minister "no choice" but to act immediately, sources said.
"This analysis was put together by British intelligence and we have now passed the findings to relevant partners," said one official.
In other latest developments:In other latest developments:
Mr Cameron also discussed "joint counter-terrorism" with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone call, the Kremlin said.Mr Cameron also discussed "joint counter-terrorism" with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone call, the Kremlin said.
Mr Putin told the prime minister how important it was that assessments of the possible causes of the crash be based on information from the official investigation, a Kremlin spokesman added.Mr Putin told the prime minister how important it was that assessments of the possible causes of the crash be based on information from the official investigation, a Kremlin spokesman added.
'Very little information' Meanwhile, British holidaymakers stranded in Egypt have spoken of confusion at Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
British holidaymakers stranded in Egypt have spoken of confusion at Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
Kate Dodd from Didsbury in Manchester was on board her plane when all passengers were told they were being taken to a resort overnight.Kate Dodd from Didsbury in Manchester was on board her plane when all passengers were told they were being taken to a resort overnight.
"There was very little information about what is going on and communication," she said."There was very little information about what is going on and communication," she said.
Tony Lesser, a Briton who flew back from Sharm el-Sheikh last week, said he had seen local people walking through airport security checks unchallenged and suggested the system for scanning and searching luggage seemed very lax.Tony Lesser, a Briton who flew back from Sharm el-Sheikh last week, said he had seen local people walking through airport security checks unchallenged and suggested the system for scanning and searching luggage seemed very lax.
But James Monk from Essex, who was on one of the last flights back on Tuesday, said he had noticed security at the airport was very tight even before the crash.But James Monk from Essex, who was on one of the last flights back on Tuesday, said he had noticed security at the airport was very tight even before the crash.
Egypt has criticised the UK decision to ground flights, accusing the government of making "a premature and unwarranted statement" on the crash.
It comes as a US official said they had reached the "tentative conclusion" that an affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group in the Sinai peninsula had planted an explosive device.It comes as a US official said they had reached the "tentative conclusion" that an affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group in the Sinai peninsula had planted an explosive device.
Are you in Sharm el-Sheikh? Are you planning to travel to the Sinai region from the UK? Are you affected? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in Sharm el-Sheikh? Are you planning to travel to the Sinai region from the UK? Are you affected? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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