Russia confirms the resumption of civilian flight service with Egypt after long 26 months

Moscow, December 15: After long 26 months of suspension of Egypt-Russia flight, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov confirmed that the regular flight connection between Cairo and Moscow will be restored in the first half of February. The civilian flight service was suspended in 2015 after militants detonated a bomb on a Russian Metrojet flight leaving the tourist resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and killing 224 people on board.

Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Sharif Fath will meet the Russian Transport Minister on Friday to discuss an agreement related to air security. Egypt’s initiative to make the security system stronger Egypt has already taken some measures after the 2015 flight disaster.

In that disaster, 224 people lost their lives. The Airbus A321, operated by Metrojet, was returning Russian tourists from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. It crashed over the Sinai Peninsula.

"President Putin affirmed Russia's intention to resume regular flights between Moscow and Cairo in the very near future," the Egyptian presidency said earlier. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed this issue with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo during their meet this week.

Egypt will be relived over the decision as suspension of civilian flight service affected Egypt economy badly. In addition to that, the Russian represents a key source of foreign currency to the country.