Egyptian riots leave 18,000 stranded at its local airports

Roughly 18,000 foreigners and Egyptian citizens have been stranded at Cairo airport, the country’s largest, amid massive civil unrest.

EgyptAir has cancelled about 75 percent of its flights, while the U.S. still is looking to evacuate its remaining 1,200 citizens from the riot-torn country.

Russia, Germany and England have told their 45,000 citizens who are vacationing on the Red Sea coasts to remain and that it is safe.

England also has advised its diplomatic staff to remain in Cairo but has safely evacuated their family members.

The airport, like much of the country, is facing monumental disarray as its airport staff is scarce and food supplies are dwindling. Reuters reported this afternoon that the situation has gotten so out of hand that some Egyptian policemen are demanding bribes from passengers before allowing them to board their planes.

People holding tickets had difficulties getting on the plane, because the airport in Cairo is pure chaos, Canadian tourist Tristin Hutton told Reuters reporters after his plane landed at Germany's Frankfurt airport.

The terminals are full of panicking people. The staff is disappearing, and at the gate, just before entering, we all together had to collect $2,000 for a policeman at the door... He would not let us pass without paying.”