The Russian government has allowed flights to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives, and tour operators are ready to include tour packages for these destinations in their range. Market participants expect high demand in all three countries.

Aeroflot expects to start flights to the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and the Maldives "as soon as possible" after the approval of slots, timetable and security issues with the authorities of these states.

On September 1, the authorities of Belarus and Russia agreed to resume mutual air traffic. Air traffic will be restored in stages. The decision was made following the talks in Moscow.

Egypt could be another candidate for border opening. Aeroflot opened sales of direct flights to Cairo, and some tour operators have already launched sales of tours to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Even if the Russian-Belarusian border opens, experts say about chances of Russians to fly to Egypt as “theoretical”.

The list of popular destinations for winter holidays from Tez Tour includes China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Thailand, Egypt, Spain, Austria, Italy and Andorra.

The news about the signing of the agreement between Egyptian and Russia officials from aviation was published by TourDom.ru. The agreement is dealing with Hurghada international airport security.

In autumn season the route to Egypt will be offered to Russian tourists by the Latvian airline airBaltic in cooperation with the international tour operator Tez Tour Latvija.

July 23, 2019 — Boeing today delivered the fifth 787 Dreamliner for EGYPTAIR via a lease agreement with AerCap. Egypt’s national carrier took advantage of a new Boeing program and filled its new super-efficient airplane with biofuel for the flight home from Seattle, underscoring the airline’s drive to improve the efficiency and sustainability of its operations. Flight from Seattle to Cairo represents the longest 787 delivery flight using sustainable fuel. Delivery flight launches Boeing program that offer operators the option to use sustainable fuel for flight home. 

Pegas Touristik tour operator stopped selling package tours to resorts in Egypt with a departure after June 9. This follows from the data of the online booking system on the company's website. “The flight program to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada was completely closed,” told Anna Podgornaya, the company's CEO. 

Flights from Russia to Egyptian resorts may be fully resumed in the near future, the chairman of the Russian Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said on Tuesday, according to Russian news outlet Ponedra. 

Pegas Touristik tour operator made a trick to circumvent the ban, launching a flight from Moscow with a stopover in Antalya. The flight Moscow - Antalya - Hurghada has transported 200 Russian tourists to the Egyptian resort last week. The route was organized by Pegas Touristik tour operator. 

Since December 5, Pegas Touristik tour operator organizes tours to Egypt with a flight to Israeli Uvda. However, despite the extremely high interest for the destination from Russian tourists, according to the representatives of travel agencies, the demand for such programs is extremely low. Recall that the start of sales of tours to Egypt through Uvda became known in early November.

Intourist tour operator has launched tours to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh on the basis of regular transportation with connections in Istanbul and Cairo and attractive prices for holiday - from 84 thousand Rubles ($ 1,261) for a week for two persons with a flight. Despite the three-year absence of Egypt on the tourist map of Russia, interest for this area continues to grow.

Due to the high demand, PEGAS Touristik operator starts its charter flight program from Moscow to Uvda on December 5, not on December 25 as planned earlier. Tourists will be able to stay in hotels of Israel and Egypt (Sharm el-Sheikh). The first three flights will be performed on December 5, 15 and 25.

The experts of tourist and aviation markets reported that there is no shortage of airplanes in this winter season. “The fact is that over the past two years, Russian airlines, specializing in charter transportation, have increased their fleet by 20-100%. New aircraft have appeared in the fleet of AZUR Air, NordWind, IFly. In the summer season, all these additional capacities were occupied mainly by Turkish program,” says the Director General of Vipservice Holding, Vice-President of ATOR, Dmitry Gorin.

Recall that on the eve of the visit of the Egyptian President to Moscow, the transport agencies of the two countries already discussed the possibility of resuming charter flights from Russian cities to such Egyptian resorts like Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam. The earliest date of starting is planned for mid-November.

Egyptian hoteliers are ready to meet the expectations of Russian partners - to give a discount on the accommodation of tourists from the Russian Federation. Recall that such an assumption was made by tour operators after the statement of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

With charters to Egypt the “Turkish” scenario is more than likely. The Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Valdai Forum in Sochi, confirmed that charter flights to resorts to Egypt are "on the agenda", but clarified that the issue of flight safety between Russia and Egypt is not yet closed.

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian counterpart Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi agreed to restore air links between the two countries on a full scale. Experts expect that after launching a charter programs, Egypt will be able to host more than two million Russians a year.

The Presidents of Russia and Egypt discussed the issue of full restoration of air links between the two countries. The head of Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, clarified that besides the question of regular flights, the problems of charter flights to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, popular among Russian tourists, were touched too. “We noted that our Egyptian friends are doing everything necessary to increase the level of security. We will strive to resume charter flights on these routes in the near future,” the portal Kremlin.ru cited Vladimir Putin. Observers pay attention to the fact that the date of begining of flights has not yet been named. Apparently, it will become known after checking the conditions of compliance of security at airports of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

“Aeroflot will resume regular flights between Moscow and Cairo since April 11. The flights will be carried out three times a week by the Airbus A320 from Terminal S of Sheremetyevo airport. Ticket sales are open”, - informed the press release of the company. The flight SU 400 will departure on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 20:50 and arrive to Cairo the next day at 0:25, the return flight SU 401 will be performed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:25, arriving time to Moscow is 6:50. The cost of round-trip ticket in economy class from Moscow is 21 895 Rubles ($ 380). From June 12 to July 2, flights between the capitals of Russia and Egypt will be carried out daily due to the increased demand during the football tournament. "The resumption of flights required a significant increase of security measures. At present time this requirement was fulfilled fully by the Egyptian side and on January 4 the Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the resumption of regular flights", - reported the company.

“About 100 thousand Russians visited Egypt in 2017 despite the absence of direct communication between the two countries”, - said the Deputy Head of the Union of Tourist Chambers of Egypt Mostafa Khelil. "According to statistics for September 2017, 70,000 Russian tourists arrived in Egypt in spite of the absence of direct flights. It is expected that by the end of the year the number of Russians visiting the country will be 100,000", - said Mr. Khelil.

“Egyptian airline EgyptAir plans to carry out three weekly flights between Cairo and Moscow”, - reports the portal Egypt. "Three scheduled flights will be performed from Cairo International Airport to Moscow on a weekly basis starting on February 1, 2018. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday are the preliminarily agreed days", - the message said.