Date of restarting flights between Russia, Egypt to be confirmed - Russia’s Transport Ministry

MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. The date of restarting flights between Russia and Egypt has not been set yet, a source in Russia’s Transport Ministry told TASS. "The date of restarting flights between Russia and Egypt has not been set yet. The Transport Ministry has submitted the report on Cairo airport inspection made by Russian experts to the government. Also, the report following inspections of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh airports is being prepared now and will also be submitted to the government," the source said. Earlier Izvestia daily wrote with reference to a Russian diplomatic source that flights to three Egyptian airports - in Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada - might be restarted in February, presumably on February 23. As TASS reported earlier with reference to sources, another delegation for inspection of local airports from Russia is expected to arrive in Cairo on Tuesday. Last week Russia’s Transport Maxim Sokolov said that the delegation of Russian experts could visit Cairo for a final safety inspection in February. The decision on restarting flights to Cairo may be made in the nearest future, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said last week. Negotiations on resuming flights between Russia and Egypt have been underway since late 2015. Moscow suspended air service with Egypt in November 2015 after a terrorist attack on board an A321 jet from Russia’s air carrier Kogalymavia that was en route from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to Russia’s St. Petersburg. The passenger airliner crashed over the Sinai Peninsula early on October 31. All 224 people onboard, including 217 passengers and the seven-member crew, were killed. Read more