A Cyprus aviation official says 11 British airliners are standing by on the tarmac on this eastern Mediterranean island, ready to go to Egypt when called to fly British tourists home from Sharm el-Sheikh.

The spokesman for Cyprus‘ two airports, Adamos Aspris, said Saturday eight airliners are at Cyprus‘ main Larnaca airport after arriving from the UK’s Luton, Gatwick and Stansted airports. Another three planes from Birmingham and Manchester are at the smaller Paphos airport, diverted there because they were unable to land directly at the Egyptian Red Sea resort.

Aspris said Cypriot authorities were told the Sharm el-Sheikh airport is experiencing difficulties accommodating a large number of aircraft at once. In addition to planes from Britain, some 93 Russian planes are expected at Sharm el-Sheikh this weekend to ferry thousands of Russian tourists home.

Russia and Britain are among several nations who halted flights to the Red Sea resort after a Russian Metrojet crashed into the Sinai desert Oct. 31 after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh. All 224 people onboard were killed.

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