Moscow-Cairo flights to open from 1 February
The parties signed a memorandum on the resumption of air traffic between Russia and Egypt on December 15 – Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi arrived in the Russian capital for this purpose.
The conversation between Sherif Fathi and the head of the Ministry of transport of Russia Maxim Sokolov was only about flights between Moscow and Cairo, which according to the document will launch in February. The issue of the fate of charters to the resorts has not yet been resolved, it is possible that this problem will be “discussed in April” – this is the opinion of the Egyptian side, and according to the minister, the wait will last the whole next year.
The process won't be quick. According to the head of the Ministry of Transport, the urgent restoration is stopped by the required “paper” procedures – you need to accept documents and sign the appropriate protocol, add changes to the presidential decree. Moscow-Cairo flights are scheduled to resume on February 1.
Air traffic between Russia and Egypt ceased on November 6, 2015 after the crash over the Sinai of the Kogalymavia liner on the flight Sharm el-Sheikh - St. Petersburg. The 217 passengers and seven crew members on board were killed. The disaster was declared a terrorist attack and the country was closed. For two years, the possibility of opening flights was discussed, the Russian inspectorate visited the airports, but the case did not end.
Experts have been waiting for the opening of Egypt since the beginning of last week, when a political decision was made – on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia agreed to open direct flights with Cairo.
Photo: tourprom