After flights suspension: British Airways clarifies, UK ambassador apologizes

CAIRO - 21 July 2019: The British Airways declared the suspension of its flights to Cairo for seven days on Saturday followed by Lufthansa that resumed its flights on Sunday.

Many developments occurred including an apology by the UK ambassador and applause for the security measures at Cairo International Airport by a British Airways official.

Regional Customer Service Manager of British Airways Sherif Barsoum told press on Sunday that security measures at Cairo International Airport are 100 percent excellent and that there are no reservations on that level.

Barsoum explained that the company’s decision to suspend the flights for seven days is to review its own security systems, adding that the decision was not made by the UK Department for Transport. He affirmed that the latest check by the UK Department for Transport on security measures at Cairo International Airport revealed no loopholes in the security system. That check took place last week.

Barsoum stated that flights will resume on July 26, and that the airline’s flights to other cities in Egypt are still operating.

Minister of Civil Aviation Younes al-Masry expressed to UK Ambassador to Egypt Geoffrey Adams the ministry’s dismay at the British Airways’ act of making a decision related to the security of Egyptian airports unilaterally without getting back to Egyptian authorities.

The statement issued by the ministry on Sunday revealed that the UK ambassador apologized to the minister for not informing the Cairo International Airport authorities with such decision. Both parties agreed to work together to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Egyptian Ambassador to Germany Badr Abdel Aty told press that he contacted the German ministries of foreign affairs and transport, which affirmed that they did not issue any warnings or recommendations to Lufthansa to suspend its flights to Cairo.

Officials at Lufthansa told the ambassador that the one-day suspension was a precautionary decision that was made after the British Airways had announced the suspension of its flights to Cairo for seven days.

Lufthansa flights resumed on Sunday morning as two flights from Cairo to Frankfurt and vice-versa took off. The airline’s officials agreed with the ambassador to coordinate more with the German Embassy in Cairo.

In the same context, a spokesperson for Air France told Reuters that the airline is maintaining its flights to Cairo.