Russian Charter Flights to Red Sea to Resume Mid-August

After a six-year hiatus, Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted the ban on charter flights from Russia to Red Sea hotspots, which are expected to return in mid-August.

The ban was first implemented in November 2015 for national security reasons. After security inspections and assessments, the return of scheduled passenger flights to Cairo International Airport was given the go-ahead in January 2018. However, multiple delays prevented these trips from actually taking flight until now.

A direct return of flights is expected to provide a lifeline for Egypt’s tourism industry, which is recovering from the blows dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the flight ban, an estimated three million Russian tourists visited Egypt; more than any other nationality. According to the Chairman of the Red Sea Tourism Investment Association Kamel Abu Ali, 200,000 to 300,000 Russian tourists will visit Egypt each month once flights resume.