Restrictions on regular flights between Russia and Turkey ‘lifted’

MOSCOW

AA photo

Russia lifted all restrictions on regular flights to Turkey as of July 22, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) said in a telegram sent to air companies and tourism operators, TASS has reported.

“In view of the fact that the Turkish side has provided guarantees of increasing air safety measures, Russia is lifting all the previous restrictions imposed on regular flights [to Turkey] as of 00:00 22.07.2016,” the document, which TASS has at its disposal, said.

Russia has received guarantees from Turkey that it would tighten security at Turkish airports, a source at the Russian Transport Ministry told the Russian news agency.

The two countries resumed regular flights on July 22, the Russian Transport Ministry said.

“After the Turkish side provided assurances and guarantees that it had taken urgent measures to tighten security of Russian nationals at airports and in the territory of the Turkish Republic, all air companies flying from Russia to Turkey, including the transit of passengers via the [Turkish] Republic’s airports to third countries, can resume regular flights as of July 22, 2016,” the Russian Transport Ministry source told TASS.

The Russian air company Aeroflot also resumed regular flights to Turkey as of July 22, the air carrier reported on its website.

Turkish tourism representatives praised the announcement and noted the normalization process has finally started for the battered sector.