Russia’s airlines plan to resume international flights from July 15 – reports

Waiting to fly to Russia? There’s finally good news. The country’s Federal Air Transport Agency plans to resume international flights from July 15. That’s according to news agency TASS, citing a source ‘in one of the airlines.’

“Yesterday, a meeting was held at the Federal Air Transport Agency, during which it was decided to propose resuming international air traffic from a number of cities of the Russian Federation from July 15 to 15 countries,” TASS’s source said. “The Federal Air Transport Agency plans to send its proposals to [Russia’s Consumer Rights Watchdog] Rospotrebnadzor.”

This information was further backed up with details emerging from news agency Interfax, which confirmed that Russian airlines are exploring the possibility of resuming international passenger flights. According to Interfax’s source, several large carriers are working out how to restart air traffic to international destinations, “subject to stable positive dynamics.” The source also stated that flights to and from Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries would likely be the first to resume. Furthermore, he added that it is planned to open flights “to almost all countries” for business aviation.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin had earlier instructed the Federal Air Transport Agency and Rospotrebnadzor to prepare, by Monday, June 8, plans for resuming flights. According to a government document, Mishustin asked the agencies to “analyze possible options for restoring air links with foreign countries.”

The head of the Ministry of Transport, Yevgeny Dietrich, told journalists on May 16 that he hoped international aviation could resume by mid-July, with domestic flights beginning their gradual recovery in mid-June.

On March 27, with the threat of Covid-19 looming over the country, the Kremlin completely closed air traffic with other countries, with the exception of cargo and mail flights, as well as repatriation flights to and from Russia. Flights from countries initially hit hard by coronavirus, such as China and South Korea, had already been banned.

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