Russia Bans EgyptAir Flights From Nov. 14

November 13, 2015

Russia has banned incoming flights by Egypt's state-owned airline EgyptAir, two weeks after the crash of a Russian jet in Sinai.

The aviation agency Rosaviatsia declined to comment on the decision and Egypt's civil aviation minister Hossam Kamal said Russian authorities had not officially informed Cairo.

Russia's ambassador to Cairo, Sergei Kirpichenko, told a local television channel there that cancellations of EgyptAir flights to Russia were "temporary security measures". He did not elaborate.

An airport official of Moscow's Domodedovo airport, who requested anonymity, said the ban on EgyptAir flights would take effect from Saturday.

The move comes a week after Russia suspended passenger flights to Egypt in the wake of the Sinai crash, for which a group affiliated with Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

The Metrojet Airbus A321 was taking tourists home from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

All 224 people on board were killed in what the militants described as revenge for Russian air strikes in Syria that began in late September.

While no official investigation has confirmed the militants' claim of responsibility, several countries have cancelled flights to Sharm el-Sheikh and announced new security measures.

(Reuters)