Thomas Cook has cancelled its holiday packages and flights to Sharm El Sheikh following advice from the Foreign Office reported The Star.
The travel company has decided to pull its prearranged services to the popular destination in Egypt following warnings regarding the ongoing threats of terrorism. The Foreign Office has advised against “all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm El Sheikh” due to a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation.
Thomas Cook re-introduced holiday packages and flights to Sharm El Sheikh earlier this year but, with the continued advice from the Foriegn Office, the holidays have been cancelled for winter 2017/18 and summer 2018.
Sharm El Sheikh remains as a destination on the Thomas Cook website but, when customers try to book, there are currently no holidays available. A message on the website reads:
“We have removed Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt from our Winter 2017/18 and Summer 2018 holiday and flight programmes. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to advise against travel to Sharm El Sheikh airport, and we have no plans to reintroduce a programme to Sharm until after that advice changes. The five flights per week which we had scheduled this winter have now been cancelled. We are contacting those customers who have booked with us to offer a refund or a destination change free of charge. Your safety is our number one priority.”
Tourist travel to Sharm was suspended in December 2015 after a Russian passenger plane on its way to St Petersburg crashed in North Sinai, killing 224 on-board.
Since then, the Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel by air to the area.
