adds details on destinations
Russia is to resume international flights from Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don next month, but only to a select list of destinations in the UK, Turkey and Tanzania.
"We took into account the epidemiological situation, the rate of morbidity and principles of reciprocity. From 1 August, flights will be in operation from airports in Moscow, the Moscow region, Saint Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don," Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin said today. "This will also help us to speed up the returning of our citizens from abroad."
Flights to and from London, Istanbul, Ankara and Zanzibar in Tanzania will restart on 1 August, followed by flights to the Turkish holiday resorts of Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman from 10 August.
"Why these three countries? Because we are very cautious and want to make sure that the resumption of flights does not lead to the import of new [Covid-19] cases to the Russian Federation," vice prime minister Tatyana Golikova said, adding that the decision was made following consideration of the epidemiological situation in each of the countries.
International flights accounted for about a third of Russian air passenger traffic before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted air travel globally. Russia imposed a ban on foreign citizens entering the country on 18 March and officially postponed international passenger flights for an indefinite period on 30 March, with the exception of flights to repatriate Russian citizens and foreign residents. Over 272,000 Russians have returned home on such flights, according to the foreign ministry.
The ban on international passenger flights, together with a steep decline in domestic flights, led to a 63pc year-on-year fall in the volume of traffic in Russian air space in April. Domestic air travel has since largely recovered, but total traffic was still down by 56pc on the year in May and by 46pc in June. The number of domestic flights last month was just 4pc lower than in June last year.
Russian health minister Mikhail Murashko said today that Covid-related restrictions in Russia could be fully lifted by February next year, on the condition that herd immunity has been formed by that time. Russian federal authorities have previously outlined three stages of lifting restrictions, but regions are following them at a different pace. Only 10 of Russia's 85 regions are at the final stage.
