Monarch offer re-bookings and refunds after postponing further flights to Sharm El-Sheikh

Monarch airline is offering its customers who have booked to fly to Sharm El-Sheikh this autumn/winter a refund or re-booking. The airline, who were supposed to resume their flights back to Sharm at the end of October, have pushed their resumption date back further, to the beginning of February.

The company said they had “no indication from the Government as to when the route will re-open,” making them decided push back their resumption date.

Although Monarch have not received any indication as to when the route to Sharm will re-open, it is continuing to take bookings from 10th February. However, the company will review this in the coming weeks based on the government's advice.

Andrew Swaffield, chief executive of the travel firm said: “I am disappointed that again we have had to cancel bookings to Sharm el Sheikh.

“Much hard work has been done by the UK and Egyptian governments, along with the travel industry, to improve safety measures at Sharm el Sheikh airport and we hope to be able to re-open this important holiday market by February.”

British holidaymakers were evacuated from the popular tourist destination back in November 2015, following the crash of a flight flying from Sharm to St Petersburg. All flights from the UK to Sharm el Sheikh were suspended. The British FCDO issued advice to only travel to Sharm for “all but essential travel by air to or from” the country. This advice continues to stay in place until further notice.

Before the route suspension, around 700,000 Brits travelled to the sunny Red Sea location each year, with it being one of the most popular holiday locations for the British travel industry.

Further travel advice about travelling to Egypt can be found on the British FCDO’s website here: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt