Restart of flights to Egypt rests on safety audit results - Russian minister

PETROZAVODSK, November 18./TASS/./ Restart of air communication between Russia and Egypt will depend on results of flight security audits in that country, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said on Wednesday. Auditing by security services, representatives from Russia’s Rosaviatsiya aviation agency, Rostransnadzor transport supervisory agency and other bodies was still under way at some Egyptian airports, the minister added. Results had not been summarised yet and "we continue to work with our Egyptian colleagues," he said. About 80,000 Russian holidaymakers were in Egypt on November 6, when President Vladimir Putin ordered flights suspended amid security concerns following the October 31 Russian airliner crash and the deaths of 224 passengers and crew on the Sinai peninsula. All Russian commercial airlines and general-purpose aircraft operators suspended scheduled, transit and charter flights to Egypt with passengers on board from November 6. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the flight ban would remain in force until Egypt took measures to ensure travellers' safety. Empty planes are flying to Egypt to return the remaining Russian holidaymakers. Read more