Plane with US citizens from Egypt due in Cyprus

[January 31, 2011]  NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- Hundreds of foreigners were being evacuated Monday from the unrest in Egypt, with countries scrambling to send planes to fly their citizens out and Cairo's short-staffed international airport a scene of chaos and confusion.

Cypriot officials said a chartered flight evacuating American citizens was expected on the Mediterranean island in the early afternoon. Larnaca Airport spokesman Adamos Astris said the flight was delayed due to heavy traffic at Cairo's airport. According to information provided to airport authorities, 150 passengers were expected to be aboard, he said.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Janice Jacobs told reporters Sunday she expects it will take several flights over the coming days to fly out the thousands of Americans who want to leave Egypt, through Europe.

In Cairo, thousands of people crammed inside the international airport's new Terminal 3 trying to get flights out.

Nerves frayed, with occasional arguments and even a fist-fight erupting among passengers. The departures board stopped announcing times, apparently so so not to worry stranded passengers by announcing canceled or delayed flights.

The check-in counters were poorly staffed because many EgyptAir employees had been unable to get to work due to a 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew and traffic breakdowns across the city.

By midday, an announcement filtered through the crowd instructing groups of Danish, German, Chinese, British and Canadian passengers that their governments had sent planes to evacuate them, prompting mass movement toward the gates.

"It's an absolute zoo, what a mess," said Justine Khanzadian, 23, a graduate student from the American University of Cairo who was among those waiting at the airport for hours to leave Egypt. "I decided to leave because of the protests, the government here is just not stable enough to stay."

Indonesia said it would send a plane to Cairo later Monday to start evacuating 6,149 Indonesian citizens -- mostly students and workers. The Indonesian government also set up 20 information centers and three evacuation centers in Egypt to facilitate its citizens.

Those who decided to stay behind should "remain alert, avoid crowded places, and communicate with our embassy, which has provided some hotlines," said Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, urging those still planning to visit Egypt to reconsider.

An Azerbaijan flight carrying 80 adults, 23 children and the body of an Azeri Embassy accountant killed in the unrest arrived in Baku, the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry said.

Hundreds of Indian nationals were also evacuated, with 316 arriving in Mumbai Monday on board a special Air India flight from Cairo. Another Air India plane was on its way to Cairo and was expected to bring another 275 Indian nationals to Mumbai later in the day, an Air India official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.

Air France canceled its regular daily flight from Paris to Cairo on Monday to put in place a new schedule, the airline said in an announcement. From Tuesday, its daily flight to Cairo will make a "technical stop" in Beirut, and was increasing its capacity on return flights -- which will be direct -- by an extra 200 seats to help bring passengers back to France.

Portugal sent a C-130 military transport plane to evacuate its citizens. No information was available how many wanted to be pulled out. Greece also said it had military transport planes on standby.

[Associated Press; By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS]

Staff in Associated Press bureaus around the world contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.