- A decree banning flights by Russian air carriers to Egypt’s resorts destinations was enacted in 2015.
- In its most recent version, the decree allowed only regular flights to Cairo and official flights to Egypt.
- On April 23 2021, Russian and Egyptian presidents agreed to resume flights between Russian cities and Egypt’s Red Sea resorts.
A 6-year-old edict banning air service by Russian airlines to Egyptian Red Sea resort destinations has been annulled on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In its most recent version, now annulled by Putin, the decree allowed only regular flights to Cairo and official flights to Egypt. It also contained a recommendation to tour operators and travel agents to refrain from selling tourist products providing for air travel to Egypt, except for Cairo. These restrictions are null and void.
Air traffic between Russia and Egypt was halted in November 2015 after a Russian passenger jet had crashed over the Sinai Peninsula killing 224 people. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) qualified the incident as an act of terrorism.
In January 2018, Putin signed a decree allowing to resume scheduled passenger flights to Cairo, but charter flights to Egyptian resorts remained restricted.
On April 23 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt agreed to resume flights between Russian cities and Egypt’s Red Sea resorts.
