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Foreign Office warns against travel to parts of Egypt Foreign Office warns against travel to parts of Egypt
(40 minutes later)
The UK Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to several cities in Egypt due to ongoing anti-government protests.The UK Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to several cities in Egypt due to ongoing anti-government protests.
It warned against travel to Cairo and the tourist centre of Luxor, as well as Alexandria and Suez, but said transit through Cairo airport was unaffected.It warned against travel to Cairo and the tourist centre of Luxor, as well as Alexandria and Suez, but said transit through Cairo airport was unaffected.
The Foreign Office (FCO) said an evacuation was not being considered yet and told Britons to observe the curfew.The Foreign Office (FCO) said an evacuation was not being considered yet and told Britons to observe the curfew.
Up to 30,000 British tourists are currently in Egypt, the FCO estimates.Up to 30,000 British tourists are currently in Egypt, the FCO estimates.
Violence has flared on Egypt's streets for five consecutive days now as protesters clash with security forces, despite a curfew and President Hosni Mubarak's promise to appoint a new cabinet.Violence has flared on Egypt's streets for five consecutive days now as protesters clash with security forces, despite a curfew and President Hosni Mubarak's promise to appoint a new cabinet.
On Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron called for reform in the north African country, but said he hoped the violence would cease.On Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron called for reform in the north African country, but said he hoped the violence would cease.
"But clearly, when you have people who have grievances and problems that want them responded to, it's in all our interests that these countries have stronger rule of law, stronger rights, stronger democracy.""But clearly, when you have people who have grievances and problems that want them responded to, it's in all our interests that these countries have stronger rule of law, stronger rights, stronger democracy."
Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said this was "the moment where Egypt can move from protest to progress".Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said this was "the moment where Egypt can move from protest to progress".
He said political, social and economic reform was needed, but violence must be avoided.He said political, social and economic reform was needed, but violence must be avoided.
Chartered flightChartered flight
More than a million UK citizens visit Egypt annually but the majority head to Red Sea resorts including Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada - an eight-hour drive from Cairo.More than a million UK citizens visit Egypt annually but the majority head to Red Sea resorts including Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada - an eight-hour drive from Cairo.
The Foreign Office altered its travel advice for Egypt on Friday, and stressed that the warning in place for Cairo also extended to Giza, a suburb of the capital where Egypt's most famous Pyramids and Sphinx are located.The Foreign Office altered its travel advice for Egypt on Friday, and stressed that the warning in place for Cairo also extended to Giza, a suburb of the capital where Egypt's most famous Pyramids and Sphinx are located.
It is also warning British nationals against going out during the nationwide curfew between 1600 and 0800 local time.It is also warning British nationals against going out during the nationwide curfew between 1600 and 0800 local time.
UK consular staff have been sent to Cairo airport to help British nationals.UK consular staff have been sent to Cairo airport to help British nationals.
Some airlines have rescheduled flights to avoid travelling during the curfew and operators are cancelling excursions to the Egyptian capital.Some airlines have rescheduled flights to avoid travelling during the curfew and operators are cancelling excursions to the Egyptian capital.
  • Thomas Cook said it had cancelled all excursions to Cairo this weekend from the Red Sea resorts, but its flights were operating in and out of Sharm El Sheikh airport as normal.
  • Thomson and First Choice said they were not operating any excursions into Cairo and were monitoring the situation.
  • British Airways said it had changed the times of Cairo flights to operate outside the curfew and was offering passengers the option of changing the date of travel, getting a refund or travelling to another destination.
  • BA has chartered a plane to bring home up to 90 people who want to leave Egypt. The flight is expected to land at Gatwick at 2100 GMT on Saturday.
  • BMI said its flights were travelling as normal as they all operated outside the curfew.
  • Abta, the organisation formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents, said it had not heard of any reports of British package tourists being affected by the unrest.
  • Thomas Cook said it had cancelled all excursions to Cairo this weekend from the Red Sea resorts, but its flights were operating in and out of Sharm El Sheikh airport as normal.
  • Thomson and First Choice said they were not operating any excursions into Cairo and were monitoring the situation.
  • The military has closed tourist access to the Pyramids, according to the Associated Press news agency.
  • British Airways said it had changed the times of Cairo flights to operate outside the curfew and was offering passengers the option of changing the date of travel, getting a refund or travelling to another destination.
  • BA has chartered a plane to bring home up to 90 people who want to leave Egypt. The flight is expected to land at Gatwick at 2100 GMT on Saturday.
  • BMI said its flights were travelling as normal as they all operated outside the curfew.
  • Abta, the organisation formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents, said it had not heard of any reports of British package tourists being affected by the unrest.
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said on Saturday that Britons should avoid crowds and demonstrations and monitor the Foreign Office website for updates. Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said Britons should avoid crowds and demonstrations, observe the curfew and monitor the Foreign Office website for updates.
But he said: "There's no evacuation being considered at the moment. Of course, the UK has contingency plans available for circumstances like this, but there's no judgement made by people on the ground that that situation has yet arisen. "We think the Red Sea resorts are fine at the moment. We are not advising people against going through Cairo airport on their way to other destinations," he told BBC News.
"Our understanding is that transit through Cairo airport is fine and those who've got destinations on the Red Sea... we're still saying that appears to be perfectly safe enough to go," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "We are in touch with people who are there, either through their tour operators or as ex-patriates through a system of wardens and contacts that are already well established by the embassy."
He said at present there were no plans to evacuate people and there had been no calls for it yet. "We are monitoring this on an hourly basis," he added.
The UK's ambassador to Egypt, Dominic Asquith, reiterated the warnings against travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Luxor but said no violence had been seen at the Red Sea resorts.The UK's ambassador to Egypt, Dominic Asquith, reiterated the warnings against travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Luxor but said no violence had been seen at the Red Sea resorts.
Mr Asquith, who is in Cairo, told BBC News the military was very prominently out on the streets on Saturday morning but Egyptians would need time to digest the news that President Mubarak had dismissed his government. Mr Asquith, who is in Cairo, told BBC News the military was very prominently out on the streets on Saturday but Egyptians would need time to digest the news that President Mubarak had dismissed his government.
Meanwhile, an EgyptAir flight from London Heathrow to Cairo was diverted to Athens after a note containing the word "bomb" was apparently found on board.Meanwhile, an EgyptAir flight from London Heathrow to Cairo was diverted to Athens after a note containing the word "bomb" was apparently found on board.
The Foreign Office said consular staff in the Greek capital had made the 50 British passengers aware of the latest travel advice. The passengers stayed in Athens overnight.The Foreign Office said consular staff in the Greek capital had made the 50 British passengers aware of the latest travel advice. The passengers stayed in Athens overnight.
'No freedom''No freedom'
On Friday, about 30 people gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London in a show of solidarity with the protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.On Friday, about 30 people gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London in a show of solidarity with the protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.
Among the campaigners, many of them London-based expatriates, was Hisham Youssef, who lived in Cairo until two months ago.Among the campaigners, many of them London-based expatriates, was Hisham Youssef, who lived in Cairo until two months ago.
He said the group wanted Egypt's president to stand down.He said the group wanted Egypt's president to stand down.
"Thirty years of corruption. It used to be a different country - there is no freedom of speech. The system has to change, it is time for him to go," he said."Thirty years of corruption. It used to be a different country - there is no freedom of speech. The system has to change, it is time for him to go," he said.