Egypt: We have fulfilled all requirements for Russian flights resumption

Egypt has fulfilled all the security requirements of its airports for the resumption of the Russian flights, Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Sherif Fathy, announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference held in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, Fathi said that “the measures taken by Egypt to secure its airports are currently in the hands of the Russian government,” adding the Russian officials have modified the security requirements “more than once.”

“We have fulfilled all the Russian demands and we’re awaiting their determination of a date for the flights’ resumption,” stressing that Egypt “has nothing else to do on this matter.”

“The final decision is in the hands of the Russian side,” he reiterated, as quoted by Egypt’s Sada Al-Balad.

On Sunday, the Russian deputy prime minister, Arkady Dvorkovic, said that his country awaits a report from the Egyptian authorities on the security measures that have been implemented by Egypt in its airports.

Read More: Egypt, UK discuss strengthening military cooperation

“We have conducted the necessary inspections, and we do not have major concerns on this matter, however, there are still some worries related to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh airports,” Dvorkovic stressed.

“It is necessary to conclude on an agreement for dealing with all security concerns in Egyptian airports before flights resume,” he noted.

Russia halted charter flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resort cities after an Airbus A321 plane flying to St. Petersburg crashed soon after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh last October. All 224 people aboard died as a result of what was classified by the investigation as a “terrorist attack.”

Since then, Egypt has been imposing strict security measures across all its airports. A number of national airlines suspended flights to the Sinai Peninsula resorts as a result, causing losses estimated at $1.3 billion to the Egyptian tourism industry.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Oleg Syromolotov, recently said that “the Egyptian side has made a great effort to raise safety standards in its ports, especially in Cairo.”