Charter flights likely to resume April 2018: Russian Transportation Min

CAIRO – 16 December 2017:Russia and Egypt are currently discussing the possible the return of Charter flights next spring, The Russian transportation Minister Maxim Sokolov stated today during a press conference.

On the possibility of the return of flights to airports of Hurgada and Sharm El-Sheikh, favorite tourist spots for Russian travelers, Sokolov stated that this will require additional security measures to be applied in these airports and person checks to be in place in the said resorts.

In light of Russia’s flight ban being recently lifted, the Russian-Egyptian parliamentarian friendship group will hold a meeting in the upcoming period to discuss ways to enhance mutual cooperation, parliamentarian Sahar Tal’at Mostafa said on Saturday.

Mostafa further contended that the parliament is cooperating with the government to ensure Egypt’s full readiness to receive greater exposure from Russian tourists in terms of promoting amenities and tourist facilities. She added that talks are currently underway with Russian partners to facilitate the travel of Egyptian people to Russia to attend the 2018 World Cup.

Four days earlier, and on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s one-day visit to Egypt, a six-member delegation from Russia’s lower house of Parliament landed in Cairo to meet Egyptian parliamentary officials.

Moscow-Cairo flights to resume operating again in February after a two-year hiatus. Moscow suspended operating flights to Egypt after the crash of a Russian plane in 2015; the accident was identified by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as a terrorist act.

"We can confidently say the resumption of Cairo-Moscow flights will be restored in the first half of February, unless any negative events or other changes emerge,” Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said to the press on Friday.