Metrojet 'grounds A321' fleet, UK advises against air travel to Sharm

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Metrojet 'grounds A321' fleet, UK advises against air travel to Sharm



LONDON: -- In the wake of last week’s Metrojet crash in Sinai, the Russian carrier is reportedly grounding its A321 aircraft while additional checks are carried out.

The Russian Federal Transport Agency announced the decision, which will affect four aircraft in the Metrojet fleet.

In the meantime, Russia continues to operate flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh. The UK has changed its travel advice to urge against all but essential travel by air to the Egyptian resort.

Flights between Sharm and the UK and Ireland have been suspended, stranding at least 20,000 passengers.

The decision to ground flights followed a statement by the British government concluding “there is a significant possibility the crash was caused by an explosive device on board the aircraft.”

British Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond added:
“We will have arrangements in place to bring people home safely at the end of their holidays. There is no need for people to leave ahead of schedule. We will not allow any UK-bound aircraft to take off from Sharm el-Sheikh until we are absolutely certain that it is safe for it to do so.”

He said that a return to normal flight patterns will depend on expert analysis of the Egyptian airport, but it could take days or even weeks.

Egypt’s economy relies heavily on tourism and its foreign minister has called the UK response premature, claiming to have taken exceptional measures to enhance security at Sharm el-Sheikh airport.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-06

[Ulic]

Well, we know what the Egyptians want the cause to be. Anything but a lack of security at the

airport that allowed ISIS to place a bomb aboard the plane. That would be another nail in the

coffin of Egyptian tourism. Russia will have mixed feelings as well. They will not want to

admit that there actions in Syria have drawn them into a wider conflict zone with attacks

possible from outside Syria. But they also would not like a Russian airline to be blamed for

maintenance shortcomings when they appear to have turned the corner in regard to airline safety.

Russian airline crashes having gone from 20 times the world average to in line with the world

average. (Still far from North America and European levels)

The most obvious cause is a bomb placed by ISIS. ISIS has claimed responsibility but provided

no evidence. Of course ISIS has not revealed how they did it, why would they throw there

operatives to the wolves so to speak. More evidence will be turned up, but everyone has

an agenda. In the mean time the British reaction is the wisest as far as I am concerned.

[Maestro]

An incident in August 2015 may be part of the reason for the UK government's advice against travel to Sharm El Sheik.

British jet carrying 189 people came 'within 1,000' feet of missile

By Romil Patel

November 6, 2015 23:46 GMT

A British jet with 189 passengers on board narrowly escaped calamity after it dodged a rocket as it approached Sharm el-Sheikh, it has been reported. The Thomson flight from London's Stansted Airport came "within 1,000ft" of the missile and narrowly side-stepped it after the pilot took evasive action.

Passengers were not informed that they had been moments from disaster. The incident took place in August, two months before a Russian Metrojet Airbus A321 carrying 224 people crashed in the Sinai desert after taking off from the Egyptian resort. The Department for Transport has confirmed the incident involving the Thomson jet which took place on 23 August.

"The first officer was in charge at the time but the pilot was in the cockpit and saw the rocket coming towards the plane," a source told the Daily Mail. "He ordered that the flight turn to the left to avoid the rocket, which was about 1,000ft away," the source continued. The missile was also seen by another Thomson plane as it approached Sharm el-Sheikh, the source added.

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/british-jet-carrying-189-people-came-within-1000-feet-missile-1527620

-- International Business Times 201511-06