Monarch has confirmed it is cancelling all flight and holiday bookings to Sharm El-Sheikh for the foreseeable future. 

With no indication from the British government as to when the airport will re-open to flights from the UK, the airline is cancelling all flight and holiday bookings for winter 2016/17 and there are now no plans for the destination to be part of Monarch’s summer 2017 programme.

If the airport is re-opened to UK flights in the future, the airline will re-assess flying there as a new route. 

Monarch customers who have existing flight and holiday bookings can re-book to an alternative Monarch destination, free of charge, or obtain a full refund.

Monarch Group chief executive, Andrew Swaffield, said: “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 it is very disappointing that it remains closed.

“If and when the airport does reopen then we will assess whether we start flights and holidays again.”

Prior to the closure of the airport, roughly 700,000 Britons visited Sharm El-Sheikh every year, making it a popular and important holiday destination for the UK travel industry.