Russia to send experts to assess resumption of air traffic with Turkey

Russia will send a team of experts to Turkey to make a decision on the resumption of air traffic to the country, Anadolu news agency reported.

The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, or Rospotrebnadzor, said the delegation will assess the situation with the spread of COVID-19 in Turkey, ongoing anti-epidemic measures, and steps taken to protect the health of tourists in popular destinations.

“After the visit, decisions will be made on the possibility of resuming air services and providing tourist services,” Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement. The date of the visit, however, has not been specified.

Russia suspended air traffic with Turkey on 15 April and there are currently only two flights per week between Moscow and Istanbul, operated by Aeroflot and Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Tuesday that the “acute” phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey is nearing an end, as the country has seen a decreasing number of cases in recent days.

Meanwhile, Turkey has administered over 35.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines since it launched a mass vaccination campaign in mid-January.

Turkey is the most popular holiday destination among Russian tourists. In 2019 over seven million flocked to the country.

In 2020, the number dropped drastically because of the pandemic; yet, more than 2.7 million Russian tourists chose Turkey as their holiday destination.

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