In Sharm el-Sheikh the messages are mixed, with differing assessments of what may have caused Metrojet Flight 9268 to crash, and opposing views about the danger to travellers.
A new CNN team joined us in Sharm el-Sheikh Thursday morning, and breezed through a virtually empty airport building. They saw only a handful of flights taking off, and little evidence of heightened security.
The tourists left here are frustrated; information is in short supply. Many we spoke to wanted more help from their governments, and the airlines.
A UK embassy official said they were doing everything they could. They were also satisfied that the Egyptians were cooperating fully with the UK team’s investigations into airport security.
Some 3,500 British tourists were stranded here on Thursday alone. One at least was grateful for the extra caution. “We feel like it will probably be the safest flight back we'll ever have," she said.
British tourists are not the only ones here though. One Italian we spoke to was furious at the lack of help. A Russian woman told me she was satisfied with security, and not worried at all about flying – although she did admit her mother was concerned.
While the UK and US governments continued to imply a bomb was likely to blame, Egyptian authorities insisted it was too soon to draw conclusions.
The crash site itself remains a hive of activity. The multinational team on the ground includes German, Irish, Russian, and French investigators, with drones and satellite surveillance also deployed. Investigations have been set back by damage to the potentially crucial voice recorder
By yesterday evening there was far more going on at the airport, with hundreds of passengers moving through the building. More security was in evidence too. A line of vehicles on the outer perimeter were going through checks, and there was a noticeable police presence.
We were shown a special machine capable of detecting explosives. Officials said it had been installed at the request of the UK two years earlier, and was used on every UK-bound flight. They also said employees go through the same checks as passengers.
Thousands of miles away in Russia, the first funerals of the victims were taking place. The human tragedy of so many lost lives is still sinking in.
A British woman had been staying at the same hotel as some on the doomed flight. "The night before we'd been watching the little girls dancing and their parents singing, and the next day they weren't there anymore. So it was really sad for us."
