Egyptian authorities expect a group of experts from Russia to inspect the security of the international airport of Hurghada on January 27. This was reported by the news portal Al-Masry Al-Youm.
According to the newspaper, the Russian experts will check the airport security systems, in particular, they will inspect terminal number 2 and installed new systems for passenger security and baggage inspection, and check the airport at all stages of its operation, ranging from the entrance of passengers to the terminal and ending with the loading and unloading of aircraft. The visit will last five days.
In January 2020, a delegation of Russian experts conducted the last inspection of the air harbors of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. It was not the first visit, and then in Cairo hoped that it would be the final before the preparation of the final report on the safety of Egyptian airports and the possible resumption of charter flights to Russian cities.
In late November last year, Russian Industry and Trade Minister and chairman of the Russian part of the Russia-Egypt intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation Denis Manturov told TASS that the two countries would return to discussing the resumption of charter flights to Egyptian resort cities as the coronavirus-related problems are resolved. "Colleagues from Egypt have done a lot to modernize the system of aviation security <...> in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh," he said. - "We assume that as the problems on the coronavirus decrease, there will be a return to discussing this issue, including taking into account, as I said, the issues of aviation security".
Flights between Russia and Egypt were completely suspended in November 2015 following the crash of a Russian Kogalymavia flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg in Sinai. There were 217 passengers and seven crew members on board, all of whom died. The FSB qualified the incident as a terrorist attack.
In January 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree resuming regular flights to Cairo. The first flight from Moscow took place in April of the same year. Charter flights to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are still closed. In recent years, the Egyptian side has improved the system of screening, control and inspection of passengers and luggage, as well as significantly upgraded the airport infrastructure.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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