The American passenger alleged that the worker groped her as she was coming out of the terminal bathroom before boarding a flight to Italy.

Cairo airport officials say an airport cafeteria worker has been arrested after an American passenger accused him of sexual harassment.

The officials said the passenger alleged that the worker groped her on Friday as she was coming out of the terminal bathroom before boarding a flight to Italy.

Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media.

In Egypt, sexual assault against women remains prominent and is commonly referred to as Taharrush [meaning harassment in Arabic].

Some 60 percent of women said they had been victims of some form of sexual harassment during their lifetimes, according to a 2017 report from the UN Women and Promundo.

Three-quarters of men and 84 percent of women polled said that women who "dress provocatively deserve to be harassed".