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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask why people can't get back from sharm...

53 replies

TheoriginalLEM · 11/11/2015 00:10

sorry. i know it's probably been done yo death but why can't folk get back?

my dd got stuck in Spain during the ash cloud thing and after a few days of novelty she was pretty shaken so these people must be petrified.

It has to do with the Russian air crash i know but why can't they get back and why don't we send the army for them. i think dd came back with the navy after the ash cloud. (or my memory is playing tricks on me again )

OP posts:

Haggisfish · 11/11/2015 00:16

I think it's because the airlines don't trust sharm airport security enough to stop any other bombs being planted. And sharm airport say they don't have enough room for everyone's luggage as passengers are only allowed to take hand luggage on.

Original poster

TheoriginalLEM · 11/11/2015 00:19

nightmare :(

OP posts:

wigglesrock · 11/11/2015 00:19

You have to take into consideration the amount of planes that were scheduled to fly in and out. You can't just divert a plane and send it to pick up passengers - they are flying restrictions for staff, for airports, timings etc. It's a long flight - a plane can't just pick people up, drop them home and then fly out again. So many flights were cancelled, they can't all leave at once.

honeyroar · 11/11/2015 00:29

Added to all the above, there is a bit of politics thrown in. The Egyptians are upset that they've been deemed unsafe publically and are being a bit awkward in return regarding take off slots etc. It must be chaos.

I'm finding it hard to sympathise much with those on the interviews grumbling while still stuck. A plane load of people just died there. It could have been them.. A delay of a few days is annoying but better to be alive!

MumOnTheRunAgain · 11/11/2015 00:31

They are safe there, think 'the army' have better things to be doing!

TiredButFineODFOJ · 11/11/2015 02:08

It's a lot of Brits and a lot of Russians stuck there. The airport is tiny, I think it was a local military airport originally?
Also Sharm is soooo far from ports (Alex or Port Said) you would be looking at over a day on a coach to get near a boat- driving through Egypt is not without it's problems each vehicle has to have an armed guard, a number of military checkpoints to pass, there are groups that may try to attack coaches full of tourists, plus after all that a day on a boat to reach Cyprus then a transfer to an airport then a flight back from there to the uk.
It's probably safer and cheaper, less stressful and easier all round for people to wait for a flight out of Sharm unfortunately.

Shakshuka · 11/11/2015 02:35

It is only three hours by car from Sharm to Eilat where there is an international airport (can't see the Egyptians going a bundle on that solution!).

There's also a port at Nuweiba (less than two hours away) which has ferries to Aqaba.

Sharm is not THAT remote.

The problem is that any of travel would be outside of the Sharm perimeter barrier and far less well protected.

You definitely don't want to be driving through the Sinai to Port Said or Alexandria!

aurynne · 11/11/2015 02:49

I always find it quite pointless that, after a terrorist attack, they increase security and stop flights in the same airport/airline where it happened... surely the next terrorist attack is much more likely to happen anywhere else?

Original poster

TheoriginalLEM · 11/11/2015 07:36

aurynne - i have always thought the same. like closing the door after the horse has bolted.

i am too scared to fly anyway but why would you go on holiday to somewhere that has so many no go areas? fuck that

OP posts:

Only1scoop · 11/11/2015 07:44

I think luggage building up at the terminal has also been a huge ongoing problem.

Everyone is allowed to bring back only hand luggage still I think.

AuntieStella · 11/11/2015 07:49

I heard that they RAF will be going out to pick up the baggage. That'll be a big plane fitted out for cargo, not with seats for passengers.

It's taken a while as the number of planes to evacuate all the nationalities that are stranded is quite high and they have to fit them all in safely. The capacity in one resort airport is nothing like that in the big international hubs.

WizardOfToss · 11/11/2015 07:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

atticusclaw2 · 11/11/2015 07:53

travelling from Sharm to Eilat would be dangerous. That whole area is on the do not travel list at the moment. It's only the beach resorts that are relatively "safe" because of all the extra security.

RagdollObsessed · 11/11/2015 07:57

We got stuck for 3 weeks due to the ash cloud as we weren't priority. The navy did get some people so you're right! Feel very sorry for the brits in Egypt

Ubik1 · 11/11/2015 08:04

i travelled through Egypt and sharm el sheik when it was being constructed. You couldn't pay me to go to that soulless dump even if it was safe.

I boggle at colleagues travelling there.

MsJamieFraser · 11/11/2015 08:09

I dont think the "army have better things to be doing" I think the military should be used better in circumstances like this, after all these are terrorist attacks where people are being killed.

Im also with the poster who is at people moaning they have to wait a few more days to make sure travel is safe for them.

MsJamieFraser · 11/11/2015 08:11

I feel sorry for anyone who is stuck in Egypt, not just the Brits!

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 11/11/2015 09:06

David Cameron needs make better friend with their PM (a la Putin) and all will be fine.....

its a diplomatic and security nightmare and yet again ISIS have pissed on another tourist industry (#2 after Tunisia)

BanningTheWordNaice · 11/11/2015 09:10

I'm really confused as to why Brits aren't being put onto flights into other EU countries and then on to Britain. I am also confused as to why Brits aren't being ferried to other airports. All seems odd.

MumOnTheRunAgain · 11/11/2015 09:13

The 'bring in the army' response is always trotted out, but then the rest of the time they are slated.... That's MN for you!

Junosmum · 11/11/2015 09:32

I was stuck in shark with ash cloud. I really like Egypt BUT during that crisis the airport was awful. When we eventually got a flight home it was a huge plane- 500ish seats and we set off half full. Despite hundreds of people waiting at the airport. We sat on the runway for an hour whilst the pilot attempted to negotiate with the airport to allow anyone wanting a flight to England on our plane, eventually they told the pilot he had to go half full or not at all, they were refusing to allow any more people to board - for financial reasons (people staying spend money!

Wouldn't surprise me if some of that is going on again.

Booyaka · 11/11/2015 09:46

Um, the reason why it's much less likely to happen in the same place is precisely because security is tightened up. There was someone in that airport prepared to commit mass murder. If they'd just shrugged and said 'Oh well, won't happen again' and carried on as normal they may well have tried again.

I think part of the delay for Brits is that initially Putin played the incident down along with the Egyptians, whereas GB were the first to say it was a bomb and ground flights. Egypt seem to be a bit angry about that for hitting their tourist industries and are dragging their feet repatriating Brits as a result. Maybe if it had been left to Russia and Egypt it would have been politically expedient for them never to 'fess up it was a bomb.

Incidentally, as a side note. I do tend
To agree that when a disaster like this happens the people from the nation worst affected should be able to return first, in this case the Russians. Because they must feel at greater risk because their airlines were the one hit and because they know they are a target. I believe the British were evacuated from Sousse first.

MaidOfStars · 11/11/2015 09:49

Juno Good guy pilot! Presumably the airline sanctioned it (would require extra fuel etc) so Good guy airline too!

Drew64 · 11/11/2015 11:00

The British government suspect that the Russian airliner was bought down by a bomb in a suitcase in the hold.
This may have been smuggled aboard by a terrorist/sympathiser working at the airport.
So, most flights in and out of Sharm have been cancelled as they believe the same could happen again.
Sharm is too small to handle all of the planned repatriation flights all at once so that's why it is taking time for some.
A separate carrier will bring back everyones hold luggage for safety reasons

PollysHoliday · 11/11/2015 11:29

Haven't the army and RAF suffered big cuts in terms of actual numbers of soldiers etc and budgets? I'm not surprised that they aren't being mobilised in this situation, there probably isn't a lot left to mobilise.

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