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Russia resumes flights to Egypt

Russia resumed flights to Egypt today after two years of suspension in a move expected to give a massive boost to tourism.

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An Airbus A320-200 belonging to Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot takes off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport, France, Sept. 26, 2017. — REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Egypt expects a massive boost in tourism after Russia’s decision to resume flights to Cairo as of April 11 after a two-year suspension. For Egyptian tourism insiders, this decision will revive Russian tourism to the Red Sea coastal cities.

A new round of negotiations between Moscow and Cairo is expected later this month to discuss resuming flights to Red Sea resorts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree in January to resume regular air traffic services between the two countries, and in March, Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, announced that it would resume commercial flights to the Egyptian capital for the first time in two years. 

In late 2015, Egyptian-Russian civilian air traffic was halted by Moscow after a bomb went off aboard a Russian jet over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 its passengers. Egypt’s tourism sector has suffered greatly since then, as Russians make up the largest number of the tourists to Egypt. 

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