Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets and roses as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram
Hurghada International Airport received on Monday morning the first flight coming from Moscow after almost six years of suspension of direct flights from Russia to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts.
The Airbus A330-300, which is operated by Egypt's flag carrier EgyptAir, carried 300 Russian tourists.
Lamia Kamel, the assistant of the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for promotion, was among dignitaries who welcomed the Russian tourists upon arrival at the airport.
All tourists received souvenirs and travel guides in Russian.
All coronavirus precautionary measures were implemented and observed.
The CEO of EgyptAir Airlines Amr Abul-Enein said the flights from Russia to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts, operated by EgyptAir for the first time, come in line with the recent decision to resume flights between Russia and Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada airports.
Abul-Enein added that the flights to the Red Sea resorts also come in addition to the ongoing daily flights between Cairo and Moscow, which will help provide new services and travel options that attract the largest possible number of Russian tourists to Egypt.
Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport is set to receive on Tuesday another EgyptAir flight from Moscow.
EgyptAir will operate four direct flights per week from Moscow to Hurghada and three other direct flights weekly to Sharm El-Sheikh, Abul-Enein said.
The flag carrier will use the Airbus A330-300, which can carry up to 301 passengers, in order to accommodate the expected volume of Russian tourists to Egyptian tourist destinations.
Two Musicians one is playing violin as the other is singing to welcome Russian tourists arriving to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram
A Russian tourist pose for an image after she arrived in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram
Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram
Ready for Russian tourists
In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board.
Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide.
The country also received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at the Red Sea and other airports.
Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency.
Russian tourists in Egypt surpassed 3.1 million in 2014, representing 33 percent of all tourists that year, but they have dropped to average 100,000 tourists per year since the airliner crash in 2015.
In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last month, as per Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree.
The Russian president's decision came on the heels of a phone call between Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Putin in April, during which they agreed on the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Red Sea airports.
“The decision to resume flights to Red Sea airports was based on joint cooperation between Egypt and Russia and the security measures at Egyptian airports,” the Egyptian presidency said at the time.
Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram
Russian tourists gather at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP
Russian tourists gather at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP
Russian tourists look at the flight schedules as they gather at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP
Talks on more flights
Egyptian Ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr said on Sunday the two capitals are discussing means to increase the number of recently-resumed direct flights between Russia and Red Sea resorts.
Twenty direct flights will be operated between Moscow and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada on a weekly basis, Nasr said on Al-Hayah TV channel.
Nasr said 10 of the 20 weekly flights will be operated by EgyptAir with planes carrying 320 passengers each.
The other flights will be operated by the Russian airline Rossiya with a flight capacity of 570 passengers, he added.
Nasr said the Egyptian and Russian sides are now discussing additional flights between Russia and the Red Sea resorts, besides the planned 20 weekly flights.
Six Egyptian aviation companies have requested to operate flights from Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada to Moscow and other Russian cities, he stated.
Moreover, 29 Russian companies have requested to launch direct flights from Russia to the two Red Sea cities, Nasr said.
Discussions are ongoing between Cairo and Moscow to determine the number of additional flights in the coming period, given the coronavirus circumstances, the ambassador added.
Nasr said there is a high turnout from Russian passengers on flights to the Red Sea, saying all tickets for the current flights are fully booked.
The high turnout was recorded despite the fact that August is not the high season for Russian tourists wanting to visit Egypt, he noted.
Short link: