Major Airlines Delay/Suspend Flights to Egypt

(Dive Travel Business News - January  28, 2011) -- To control mounting political protests, the Egyptian government has imposed a curfew  that has affected air service to Egypt.  Flight disruptions so far appear to be limited to Cairo including National flag carrier EgyptAir that has suspended its service from the capital. Many international airline flights in Cairo arrive late in the evening or in the pre-dawn hours that are now included in the 4pm - 8am curfew. International airlines are scrambling to readjust their schedules into and out of Cairo International to ensure that their passengers arrive and depart outside the curfew hours. 

According to AP, an official at Cairo's international airport said some foreign airlines had canceled or rerouted flights slated to arrive Friday night. Air France said its once-daily flight to Cairo was rerouted to Beirut and would continue to Cairo on Saturday morning. Delta Air Lines, the only U.S. carrier that flies directly to Egypt, canceled its Friday night flight from New York to Cairo. Delta also plans to cancel its Saturday night flight from Cairo to New York.  The airline said its Saturday flight is canceled while the airline tries to amend its schedule. German carrier Lufthansa said it had two flights scheduled for Saturday, and was waiting to see how the situation develops before deciding whether the flights can proceed as scheduled. British Airways said it was trying to change the timing of its Cairo flights, but had yet to cancel any of the trips.

BA flights to the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh have remained unaffected, the airline said.  However, tourism analysts note that if the protests continue, or if they start approaching the Red Sea resorts, cancelations could mount, depriving the country of millions of dollars a day in much needed tourism revenue.  

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