UPDATE: Union: Russia may resume international flights in August

(Adds comments in last four paragraphs)

YEKATERINBURG/MOSCOW, Jul 9 (PRIME) -- Russia may resume international air travel in August, these will most likely be CIS states, Andrei Ignatyev, president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, told reporters on Thursday.

“The Federal Air Transport Agency doesn’t plan any international flights until August 1, they are banned. But according to our data, the Sheremetyevo airport’s terminal D will prepare for flights on July 27. Maybe international flights will begin sometime in August,” he said.

Most likely, CIS states will be the first countries opened for Russians, Ignatyev added.

“This will give us the possibility of fly to those countries where the epidemiological situation is acceptable for citizens. Most likely, these will be CIS states,” he said.

Russia ceased international air traffic in late March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The response center on prevention of the coronavirus spread said that Russia will restore air travel with other countries in two stages.

A decision on resuming air travel with other countries will be made based on evaluation of their epidemiological situation, according to a protocol of a meeting of the response center.

Russian citizens returning home from abroad on evacuation flights will be put on a 14-day quarantine or will be tested for coronavirus.

The Transport Ministry is to assess the readiness of Russia’s international airports for resumption of flights by July 13, the document also said.

End