Russia-Egypt flights 'most likely' to resume in January

Russia will make a decision on whether to resume direct flights with Egypt following a review of the country's airport security measures.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab

28 December, 2016

Russia imposed a ban on flights to Egypt in late 2015 [AFP]

Russia is likely to resume direct flights with Egypt in January, Russian transport minister Maxim Sokolov said on Tuesday, quoted by Russia's TASS news agency.

The minister said that the decision on the resumption of services will be made following a review of Egyptian airport security by Russian officials.

He added that he has received consent from Egypt for a Russian-proposed airport security agreement, though did not reveal the terms of the deal.

"We have not yet received [formal consent] from the Egyptian foreign ministry, but we already have [informal] confirmation that they agree in principle [to the agreement]," Sokolov said.

Moscow introduced a ban on flights to the Middle Eastern nation following the downing of a Russian airliner in Sinai in October 2015, killing all 224 passengers, mostly Russian holidaymakers. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for the crash.

Concerns about the security situation in the Sinai region recently led to a British airline cancelling its services there indefinitely.

According to the state-owned al-Ahram newspaper, a five-member team of Russian security experts arrived in the Egyptian capital on Tuesday to examine the latest measures that have been implemented at Cairo International Airport.

The inspection will begin early Wednesday, it added.