Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Your rights as Middle East conflict escalates between Israel and Iran

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An escalation in conflict between Iran and Israel took place overnight, causing mass flight diversions over Middle East airspace and dozens of cancellations as air strikes surged.

Iran launched more than 100 drones towards Israel after pre-dawn strikes by the IDF hit Tehran’s nuclear sites and killed top military commanders.

Israel said 200 fighter jets took part in strikes on more than 100 targets in Iran overnight in an escalation that threatens to trigger a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Egypt has many popular tourist destinations, and while the UK’s Foreign Office has warned against travel to some areas of the country, many of the popular holiday hotspots are still considered safe to travel to, with holiday companies and airlines continuing to operate in the country.

What is happening?

Israel launched strikes against targets in Iran at around 3am local time (1am UK time), and warned citizens in the country to prepare for a missile attack in retaliation.

Iran has fired around 100 drones in response. An Israeli military official said it has intercepted many of these but that some are still Israel-bound. The situation is reported to be under control, the official said.

There have so far been no reports of civilian casualties in the strikes, but reports are still emerging from on the ground.

How far is Israel from Egypt?

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The nearest major tourist site to the Israeli border is Sharm el Sheikh, over two and a half hours away (Getty/iStock)

Though Israel directly borders Egypt, most of the country’s major cities and tourist destinations are a substantial distance away, and so Egypt has avoided much of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Sharm el-Sheikh is the closest destination, though it is still over two-and-a-half hours’ drive away from the nearest border town and over five hours away by road from the area around the Gaza border. Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Luxor are even further away.

Will my flight to Egypt be disrupted?

Thousands of passengers from the UK landed in unexpected places due to the sudden closure of airspace in the Middle East.

Airlines, including Air India, Emirates and Qatar Airways, diverted their flights last minute after the conflict between Israel and Iran escalated. FlightRadar captured the moment civilian airspace cleared after the strikes began, showing flights rapidly exiting Iranian skies.

Some flights cancelled their onward journey mid-flight, while others continued after diversions, creating delays to international flight schedules and causing many passengers flying from the UK to miss connections.

Qatar Airways diverted two flights from the UK to Cairo: the overnight departures from Manchester and London Heathrow were also over Turkish airspace when they turned and flew south to the Egyptian capital. They have now refuelled and are continuing their journeys.

Cairo Airport has seen a handful of cancellations, while some of its arrivals and many of its departures have been severely delayed, data from FlightRadar shows.

Sharm el-Sheikh airport appeared to be less affected, although many of its departures Friday morning were delayed.

What are my passenger rights?

Under air passengers’ rights rules, passengers who begin their journeys in the UK or the European Union are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible.

If your cancelled flight is covered by UK law, passengers can choose between getting an alternative flight or receiving a refund if their flight is cancelled.

If you received less than 14 days’ notice of a cancellation, you may also be able to claim compensation. However, this is unlikely if the cancellation was not the airline’s fault.

What if I have booked a package holiday to Egypt?

Package holidays are operating as usual. If you have an upcoming trip booked and want to postpone, get in touch with your tour operator or holiday provider; they may offer some flexibility. However, if not, there are currently no grounds for travellers to expect a refund if they cancel, nor to claim the money back through travel insurance, as the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not issued a blanket “avoid all non-essential travel” advisory for Egypt.

If FCDO advice changes to advising against all travel, you can cancel a package holiday without penalty for a full refund.

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the FCDO.

What is the Foreign Office travel advice for Egypt?

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FCDO travel advice for Egypt (FCDO)

The FCDO has updated its travel advice for Egypt on Friday, 13 June, concerning the conflict between Iran and Israel.

“Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran could escalate quickly and pose security risks for the wider region. There are reports of military debris falling in various locations. Travel disruptions, including flight cancellations and airspace closures may occur. Demonstrations and protest activity may take place,” the advice stated.

It added that travellers should monitor local and international media for the latest information and be vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities.

The FCDO also said that the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority has directed all airlines and travel companies to ensure that any passengers arriving in Egypt between 12 and 16 June have a confirmed return ticket.

“Travellers who are unable to demonstrate this are liable to be refused entry into the country,” it added.

The FCDO advises against travel in certain areas of Egypt. It advises against all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border and all travel to the North Sinai Governorate.

The FCDO also advises against all but essential travel to:

• The town of El Salloum
• The northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula.
• The Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal.
• The area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, except for a list of areas that can be found here.
• The Hala’ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid.

It does not warn against travel to any of the main tourist destinations in Egypt, including Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria and the two Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

The FCDO also warns that “international borders in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) could close at short notice, including the Taba border crossing between Israel and Egypt”.

It advises checking with local authorities and reading Israel’s and OPTs’ travel advice before crossing or leaving Gaza.

“The Rafah border crossing is currently closed. When re-opened, Israel, Egypt and the authorities in Gaza may determine procedures for who is permitted to cross and when,” it adds.

“Humanitarian aid workers cannot enter or exit Gaza through Egypt at this time.”

The Egyptian authorities have said all aid to Gaza must go through the Egyptian Red Crescent. Standard operating procedures can be found on the Logistics Cluster website. The authorities are unlikely to consider requests for humanitarian access made in Egypt at short notice.

If you are concerned about friends or family, or need support from the UK government, call the British Embassy in Cairo.

Telephone: + 20 (0)2 2791 6000. If you have technical difficulties using this number, call +44 1767 667 600 (UK number).