Cairo/London, Nov 7 (IANS): The return of thousands of Britons stranded in Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh following the crash of a Russian aircraft is expected to continue over the weekend, the media reported on Saturday.

The British transport department said 1,400 people had returned on eight flights on Friday, and further flights are anticipated, BBC reported.

Twenty-nine flights were scheduled to return to Britain on Friday, but 21 were cancelled by the Egyptian authorities because of the build up of passengers and luggage.

Britons are being allowed to travel home only with hand baggage; hold luggage is to be flown back separately, officials said.

Easyjet said it planned to bring home a further 445 passengers on Saturday with two flights into Luton airport.

Thomson Airways added that two planes were currently on standby in Egypt waiting for slots to fly people home.

Britain-bound planes were halted on Wednesday amid fears the Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Metrojet, flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg, was shot down by a missile on October 31, killing all 224 people on board. Most of the victims were Russian.