Russian President Vladimir Putin banned direct flights to Egyptian resorts in 2015.
MOSCOW (AA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree, lifting a 2015 ban on direct flights to Egyptian resorts, a presidential statement said.
According to the statement, Putin also canceled recommendations to travel agencies to stop selling tours to Egyptian resorts.
Russia had stopped all flights to Egypt after a charter plane operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia was destroyed by a bomb following its departure from Sharam El Sheikh International Airport.
Some 224 people on board were killed in the incident, which Russia denounced as a “terrorist attack.” Russian authorities also called on Egypt to strengthen security at airports.
In 2018, following several rounds of inspections, Russia allowed only regular flights between Moscow and Cairo, considering the security of the regional airports “insufficient.”
In early 2021, the Russian and Egyptian presidents announced that all issues were finally settled and that the charter flights to Egyptian resorts will resume soon.