The charter flights between Russia and the resort towns of Egypt will most likely not be resumed in 2019, as the Russian side is waiting for the Arab country to confirm that all concerns related to the security of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh airports have been eliminated, Russian Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrich told reporters on Saturday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2019) The charter flights between Russia and the resort towns of Egypt will most likely not be resumed in 2019, as the Russian side is waiting for the Arab country to confirm that all concerns related to the security of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh airports have been eliminated, Russian Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrich told reporters on Saturday."Based on an analysis of the situation, based on our joint studies with Egyptian partners, in 2019, most likely, the charter [flights] will not be resumed," Dietrich said on the sidelines of the United Russia party congress.
Moscow suspended flights to and from Egypt following an Airbus A321 plane crash over the Sinai Peninsula in 2015, en route from Sharm El-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, which left all 224 people on board the aircraft killed. Russia qualified the incident as a terrorist attack, suggesting that Egypt should step up security measures in order for the air traffic to be resumed.
"The set of questions that were formulated for the Egyptian side from the point of view of ensuring security at the airports of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh was sent in the summer. In order for us to move on, in terms of opening air connections to these cities, we need confirmation from the Egyptian side on the study of these issues and, in fact, the elimination of those comments, specifically, that were formulated in the summer," the minister stressed.
Dietrich did not specify the time period when the visit of Russian security inspectors could take place.
"In order for us to formulate proposals and agree on the date of such a visit, we need an answer from the Egyptian side to eliminate the concerns and comments expressed in the summer. As soon as we receive this kind of confirmation, we will try to promptly coordinate the date and form the commission," the minister added.
Regular flights between the two nations resumed in April 2018.
