CAIRO – 2 June 2021: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov expected Wednesday resuming charter flights to Egyptian resorts in the near future, according to TASS news agency.
He added that only some details are left to be worked out.
"The work continues, [there are] finishing touches, because the decision, as you know, was made, this was announced at the highest level. So now there are just some details left, including those related to coronavirus restrictions," Bogdanov said.
“And so, of course, I hope that in the near future, our tourists will fly to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.”
Bogdanov recalled that now there are flights from Russia to Cairo. "From there, our tourists go to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. But, of course, it would be convenient for everyone to have direct flights, not only from Moscow but also from other Russian cities," he said.
Chairman of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation Mohamed Saeed Mahrous said on Wednesday that the current development at Egyptian airports were not affected by the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sphinx International Airport, Mahrous said the development plan runs as scheduled, adding that the operation rates at Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh airports have witnessed a remarkable improvement since the beginning of this year.
He stressed that precautionary and preventive measures are strictly taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation at all airports to confront the spread of coronavirus.
Mahrous pointed out that a Russian security delegation is currently touring Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada international airports as part of ongoing efforts to resume flights between the two countries.
The Russian delegation has not expressed any reservation so far, Mahrous noted.
The current development plan aims to increase the capacity of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada airports to accommodate 9 million and 11 million passengers a year respectively, up from 7.5 million and 9 million passengers now, he concluded.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call in April, to fully resume flights between the two countries, especially to the coastal cities of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, after six years of hiatus to these touristic destinations.
Flights between two countries were suspended at late October 2015 after a bomb downed a Russian flight carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board, mostly Russian tourists. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group.
In January 2018, Russia decided to resume the flights to Egypt’s Cairo International Airport after Egypt has been implementing new, tighter security measures at all of its airports to meet the Russian demands necessary for the resumption of flights.
President Sisi welcomes the resumption of flights between Egypt and Russia, hoping that this decision contributes to advancing bilateral relations between the two countries, said Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Radi in a statement on Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed that his country is keen to enhance cooperation with Egypt, praising Egypt’s achievements in the fields of economic and social development, besides the establishment of mega national projects.
Putin added that Russia is counting on Egypt's pivotal role in stabilizing its entire regional environment, Radi
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