Flights to resume between Moscow and Cairo

18 Dec, 2017

Direct flights between Moscow and Cairo are expected to resume in February, after a break of more than a two years, following an agreement between Russia and Egypt.

Moscow suspended flights to Egypt after a bomb brought down a Russian airliner over the troubled Sinai province in October 2015, killing all 224 people on board. The attack was claimed by local Islamic State-affiliated militants.

Following a major security upgrade, Russia said that Cairo International Airport now meets all aviation security requirements, while Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada airports need additional work.

Before the 2015 plane crash Russians made up almost 20 per cent of tourist arrivals to Egypt, the largest of any single country.

Civil unrest and militant attacks have devastated Egypt's tourism sector which has been ailing since the 2011 revolution that led to the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak.