20,000 British nationals are in Sharm el-Sheikh, UK government says, after flights grounded
David Cameron says it could be "some time" before British tourists are home
Three UK airlines, Easyjet, British Airways and Monarch, are to send planes to Sharm el-Sheikh to repatriate passengers on Friday
UK security experts are working with local authorities to get holidaymakers back to the UK
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has been to Downing Street for a meeting with Mr Cameron
PM says it is increasingly likely a "terrorist bomb" caused a Russian passenger jet to crash
The PM's spokesman has been briefing BBC political correspondent Iain Watson. Our correspondent says there is no guarantee of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh on Friday and says there are no plans at the minute to use to RAF to bring holidaymakers home. Says extra consular staff and "half a dozen" military planners have gone to Egypt help get people home.
As events continue to unfold, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has arrived at 10 Downing Street. Here is the moment he shakes hands with UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
There have been protests taking place in London today directed against Mr el-Sisi's visit and Egypt's record on human rights.
Image source, AFP/Getty Images
BBC Parliament
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Labour MP Chris Matheson asked Mr McLoughlin to confirm whether other Egyptian airports had the security standards expected of them.
Mr Mcloughlin said the UK was "looking at all airports where there were concerns" but he said the warnings issued were specific to Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
As Mr McLoughlin continues to take questions about the ongoing situation in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has arrived at 10 Downing Street to meet UK Prime Minister David Cameron. The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith tweeted this picture.
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What do Sharm el-Sheikh travellers need to know?
Detailed advice for people travelling to or from the area is provided here.
BBC Parliament
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Conservative MP Cheryl Gillan said she knew of many people who were intending to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh once flights resumed, but they were concerned about travel insurance and whether it would be invalidated.
Mr McLoughlin said they should talk to talk to their travel operators.
BBC Parliament
Freeview channel 131
Labour MP Keith Vaz said it was the right decision to suspend flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, as it had been to suspend flights to Tunisia following the beach attack on Sousse on 26 June, but he said it would have "devastating" effects on both countries' economies.
BBC Parliament
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Mr McLoughlin reiterated comments made by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond earlier that the government was hopeful British tourists could travel home from Sharm el-Sheikh from Friday.
He said discussions about safety measures were "ongoing".
BBC Parliament
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Patrick McLoughlin says the government is working with Egyptian authorities to put in place short-term measures to allow flights to return to the UK.
BBC Parliament
Freeview channel 131
Transport Secretary Patrick McLaughlin said the decision to suspend flights from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh has "not been taken lightly".
He said the UK would need to be confident that security standards "meet our expectations and those of the public before we allow services to resume".
He added that UK consular staff and aviation experts were on the ground and arrangements were being carried out to bring passengers home in "due course".
Mr Cameron said the UK wanted to see security measures "that are necessary for the long-term" put in place before flights can resume from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh. He said he knew how important the measures were to the Egyptian authorities.
Mr Cameron added: "The links between our countries are strong, the enjoyment British tourists have out of going to Sharm el-Sheikh are very, very positive, but it's not right at the moment to continue those flights, that's why we need to take that action."
The prime minister added the reason the UK had grounded flights to Sharm el-Sheikh before the investigation into the plane crash was concluded was because of intelligence the UK received which suggested it was "more likely than not a terrorist bomb".
Mr Cameron added the government would look at "all the implications" of what that meant for air travel.
Image source, ReutersTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is expected to make a Commons statement at 12:30 GMT on the latest security picture in Sharm el-Sheikh. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has already said the UK is helping with security in the area and wants to resume flights "as quickly as possible".
Prime Minister Cameron said the decision to suspend flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh was "putting the safety of British people first".
He said he had "every sympathy" with the Egyptians because tourism is "vitally important to their economy", but he said it was "vital" that improvements in security were made at Sharm el-Sheikh airport before Britons were flown back and flights from the UK are resumed.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has warned it could "take some time" to start flying UK tourists back from Sharm el-Sheikh, but says it is vital to ensure their safety because the Russian jet crash was "more likely than not" caused by a bomb.
Both the British and Irish governments have posted travel advice on their websites for people travelling to and from Sharm el-Sheikh.
The British foreign office, external has advised against "all but essential travel by air to and from" the Sharm el-Sheikh and lists further advice on travelling to other parts of Egypt.
Ireland's Department for Foreign Affairs, external advises Irish citizens to avoid "non-essential travel to Egypt".
The Irish Aviation Authority, external on Wednesday directed all Irish airline operators not to travel to and from Sharm el‐Sheikh airport, Egypt or in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula airspace until further notice.
The airline Thomas Cook has said it is cancelling all flights, external from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh up to and including 12 November.
In a statement on its website it said the health and safety of its customers and staff was its "absolute priority".
British Airways has just issued this statement about its passengers in Sharm el-Sheikh:
Quote MessageWe will be providing hotel accommodation to customers in Sharm El Sheikh who were due to fly to Gatwick with us today. We are working closely with the UK Government to find the best possible solution for our customers who are on holiday in the resort and those due to fly out from the UK. We understand the current situation is frustrating, however it is out of our control and the safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. Following the decision by the UK Government to suspend flights, the British Airways flight (BA 2560) which was due to depart Gatwick this morning has been postponed until Friday. The BA2561 which was due to depart Sharm El Sheikh this evening will also depart one day later on November 6. Customers not wishing to travel on the postponed flights on Friday will be able to claim a full refund or switch to an alternate destination.
In Russia, the first funerals for the victims of the plane crash are being held. There were 224 people - mostly Russians - on board the flight, which took off from Sharm el-Sheikh heading to the Russian city of St Petersburg.
Image source, ReutersMourners gather next to the coffin of Alexei Alexeev who died in the crash
BBC Monitoring
Egyptian TV news bulletins channels are leading with positive coverage of President Sisi's visit to Britain, although morning talk shows are covering Britain's decision to suspend flights.
The tone is either critical of the move or suggesting that the media has blown the incident out of proportion.
Leftwing politician Rifaf al-Said told ON TV that Britain is the "real home for the international Muslim Brotherhood organisation" - the Islamist group ousted by the Egyptian military in 2013.
News website Al-Yawm al-Sabi reports that apart from the UK, no other European flights to Sharm el-Sheikh have been disrupted on Thursday. The airport is expecting 23 flights from Russia, eight from Ukraine, three from Italy and one from Belgium, as well as 22 domestic flights, two from Saudi Arabia and one from Jordan.
The website quotes Aviation Minister Husam Kamal as saying that “all Egyptian airports apply international standards in safety and security”.