Monarch Airlines extends Sharm el-Sheikh suspension

British sun-seekers longing for Sharm el-Sheikh will face another delay, it was announced by Monarch Airlines on Friday.

The Luton-based holiday airline had suspended its flights to the Egyptian resort last week on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in the wake of the crash of Metrojet flight 9268.

It’s widely suspected a bomb on board brought down the Russian charter flight on 31 October, en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg. Regular fights were quickly suspended from Egypt’s third busiest air hub as a security precaution.

Moscow had also suspended all Russian flights to Egypt in a move that could last "months", it was reported.

In a statement, the airline – largely owned by private investment vehicle Greybull Capital – said it had cancelled all flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh up to and including 19 December, on receipt of updated advice from the FCO.

Monarch had been hoping to restart regular flights on 25 November, in line with low-cost rivals Thomson Airways and easyJet.

Later on Friday, it was revealed that Russian authorities were to ban all EgyptAir flights to the country - not just those originating in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The move - which was reported by Reuters as coming from an airport official, but remained unconfirmed by Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia - was set to take effect on Saturday.

Customers stranded in Egypt have slowly returned home on repatriation flights, which have travelled with hand luggage only due to the perceived security risk.

Checked luggage has returned on separate, sealed flights carrying no passengers.

On Thursday it was reported that Thomson’s flights would remain cancelled until 25 November, with British Airways not accepting bookings on flights scheduled before 23 November.