PRESS: Russia mulls restarting flights to 7 more countries

MOSCOW, Aug 24 (PRIME) -- The Russian government is discussing lifting bans on flights to seven more countries -- France, Hungary, Malta, Cyprus, Jordan, Egypt, and China, daily Izvestiya reported on Monday quoting sources in the airlines and airports.

The government ordered to the Federal Air Transport Agency and the Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare Oversight to work on opening air cooperation with the countries at a meeting on August 18, and the bodies should have done that until the end of last week. Now, the announcement of the decision should follow the next government meeting on the issue on Tuesday.

A source at an airline told Izvestiya that restart of flights to France, Hungary, and Malta will be done similarly way to those to Switzerland -- the flights will be open only for passengers with a residence or labor permit or for passengers that are flying to medical institutions.

Russia banned regular and charter flights to all states on March 27. The government relaunched flights to the U.K., Tanzania, and Turkey’s cities of Ankara and Istanbul on August 1, to Turkey’s Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman on August 10, and to Switzerland on August 15. Besides, Kyrgyzstan and Montenegro opened their border for Russians, and Poland is to do the same very soon.

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