TOMSK, Aug 27 – RIA Tomsk. Regular flights to Egypt's resort cities may resume from 49 Russian cities, including Tomsk, where Azur Air has received permission to fly to the Arab country, the press service of the Federal Agency for Air Transport said on Friday.
Earlier it was reported that Russia had closed regular and charter international flights on March 27, 2020 due to the threat of the spread of the coronavirus. The last charter arrived at Tomsk airport on March 29: the flight Phú Quốc (Vietnam) - Tomsk was operated by Azur Air.
According to the press service, since August 27, 2021 the geography of flights to resort cities of Egypt has been extended by the decision of the crisis center for prevention of introduction and spread of COVID-19. Regular flights may resume from the 49 Russian cities from which international flights are currently permitted.
"Russian airlines are launching flights to Egyptian resort cities from the regions. <...> Azur Air has been granted flight rights (from Egyptian resort cities) to Makhachkala, Astrakhan, Barnaul and Tomsk," it was reported.
The airlines will be granted the right to fly to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh and to perform one flight per week on each route. A total of 13 Russian airlines have applied to Rosaviatsiya, the report said. Thus, the Nordwind Airlines received permission to fly to Egypt from Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo and other cities, while the Rossiya Airlines received permission to fly from Russian cities, including Novosibirsk.
"The stated schedules of the airlines, the time and date of flights, as well as other issues related to operations are recommended to clarify with the airlines," the press service added.
In turn, the press service of the Tomsk Bogashevo Airport clarified to RIA Tomsk that the beginning of air communication with Egypt may not occur until the end of the runway reconstruction, which is scheduled for September 25.
It was also previously reported that Tomsk airport's passenger traffic in 2020 was around 348,500 people, down 54% compared to 2019. The drop in this figure in Tomsk is the maximum among Siberian airports.