Flights to increase from Russia to...

In 2015, before flights were suspended, Egypt welcomed 2.3 million tourists from Russia

Russian and Egyptian authorities have decided to increase the number of weekly tourist flights from Russia to the beach resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada in Egypt, a move that could ultimately reduce the number of Russian visitors holidaying at GCC beach resorts.

Direct flights between Egypt and Russia were halted in 2015 following a terrorist attack that downed a Russian passenger plane taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh. Though air traffic between Russia and Cairo Airport resumed in 2018, the decision to stop charter flights from Russia to the Egyptian tourist resorts remained in place.

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From 27 August 2021, from Moscow, there will be 30 flights to Sharm El-Sheikh, and 30 flights to Hurghada per week.

Russian authorities earlier announced the resumption of flights to Egypt’s tourist destinations, starting from 9 August, comprising just five flights per week for each route, after a six-year hiatus.

Egypt’s ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr said: “We in Egypt warmly welcome the return of Russian tourists to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh. This is very important for residents and entrepreneurs, for the movement of trade between the two countries, and for everyone.”

Nasr added that the resumption of regular flights would boost relations between Cairo and Moscow and create new job opportunities.