Russia signs ruling to abolish ban on charter flights to Turkey

MOSCOW, Aug 29 (PRIME) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a ruling to abolish a ban on charter flights to Turkey, the government said on its Web site on August 28.

“To adopt additional measures aimed at providing transport (aviation) safety during the implementation of regular airline service with the Republic of Turkey,” the document read.

The government recommended that airlines operating charter flights between Russia and Turkey take additional measures to ensure aviation safety.

Ñharter flights between Russia and Turkey ceased due to a crisis in relations between the countries, which worsened after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 jet in November 2015. In late June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to abolish restrictions against Turkey.

Russian airlines have already started filing bids to the Federal Air Transport Agency to make charter flights to Turkey, the Transport Ministry said.

Russian tour operators will be able to create new programs to Turkey with charter flights in the coming days and send first tourists by the end of this week, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Association of Tour Operators, told PRIME.

The resumption of charter flights will reduce the cost of travel offers to Turkey by at least 20–30%, Gorin said.

Tour operator Tez Tour expects to resume charter programs to Turkey over the next four to five days, PR Director Larisa Akhanova told PRIME. The cost of travel offers will fall by 15–20%, she said.

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