In light of the ongoing conflict between Israel, Hamas and Iran, there are concerns about the safety of travellers visiting nearby regions. Below, find everything you need to know about the UK advice for visiting Egypt, including the latest update from FCDO.
What does the FCDO say about travel to Egypt?
The UK Foreign Office has updated their advice on travel to Egypt following military activity and explosions in Iran, Syria and Iraq. While it doesn’t explicitly advise against travel to Egypt as a whole, it does advise caution and notes ongoing unrest in the country: “In response to events in Israel and the OPTs, a number of demonstrations have taken place in Egypt and protests have been planned, including after Friday prayers. Demonstrations could take place at short notice, with a heavy security presence in place. You should avoid large gatherings, demonstrations and protests,” says the gov.uk website.
The FCDO website also highlights the following areas as places to avoid travelling to, and reminds travellers that “travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. Consular support is also severely limited where FCDO advises against travel”. For the full advice, check gov.uk.
- Within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border
- El Salloum
- North Sinai
- Northern part of South Sinai
- The eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate
- Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid
- Western Desert (the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, with some exceptions)
Always check FCDO Egypt page for the latest advice, as the situation is changing rapidly.
Nile valley, EgyptGetty Images
Are flights still operating to Egypt?
At the time of publishing, flights are still continuing to run between the UK and Egypt. Typically for UK airlines, the flight path crosses over Italy, other parts of Europe and across the Mediterranean before reaching Egypt (instead of crossing over any Middle Eastern territories).
Can I cancel my holiday to Egypt?
Holidays to Egypt are operating as usual and the FCDO is not advising against all travel to the country, so cancellations might be tricky. But as the situation is continuously developing, we would advise talking to your holiday provider, airline and hotel to discuss options for postponing the trip. If the advice changes and advises against all travel to Egypt, it is likely that you would be able to cancel and get a refund without penalty.
