Dutch airline KLM Friday banned checked luggage on an early flight from Cairo to Amsterdam after Britain and the US said a bomb may have brought down a Russian plane in Egypt.

Passengers were only allowed to board flight KLM 554 with hand luggage, the airline said in a statement, adding that "based on national and international information and out of precaution KLM will not allow check-in luggage." The flight arrived in Amsterdam at 7:42 am (0642 GMT).