Egypt defends airline company
2004-01-05 13:30
Cairo - Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Ahmed Shafik on Monday "categorically rejected" Swiss charges of serious shortcomings at the Egyptian private airline that operated the plane which crashed at Sharm el-Sheikh on Saturday.
The minister was responding to the charges Bern used to justify a ban imposed since last year on flights to Switzerland by Cairo-based Flash Airlines.
The Swiss civil aviation authority had reported "serious shortcomings" after a spot check in Switzerland of one of the airline's planes more than a year ago.
A Flash Boeing 737 plunged into the sea on Saturday after taking off from the Egyptian Red Sea resort, killing all 148 people aboard, mainly French holidaymakers.
- AFP