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Russian Transport Minister: government thinks of resuming charter flights to Turkey

Aeroflot resumed regular flights to Turkey on July 22

SEVASTOPOL, June 25 /TASS/. The Russian government is studying all pros and cons of resuming charter flights to Turkey, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told journalists on Monday.

"The government is studying and weighing the decision [on charter flights to Turkey]. Therefore, it is too early to talk about anything," Sokolov said noting that the necessary documents had been submitted to the government.

As it became known in mid-July, the Russian Transport Ministry submitted its proposals on measures aimed at lifting restrictions on charter flights to and from Turkey to the departments concerned. Early in July, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Russian Transport Ministry, the Ministry of Culture and the Foreign Ministry to submit proposals on resumption of charter flights between Russia and Turkey in the course of next week.

Earlier, the Russian Transport Ministry lifted a ban on transporting Russians to Turkey by regular flights of Russian and foreign companies after Turkey had provided airport security guarantees.

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

Aeroflot resumed regular flights to Turkey on July 22.

"The transportation of Russian citizens from destinations in Russia to destinations in Turkey will resume on July 22 …Aeroflot is starting selling tickets to Istanbul and Ankara via all channels," Aeroflot reported on its website a few days ago.

Flights SU 2136 Moscow-Istanbul; SU 2137 Istanbul-Moscow; SU 2134 Moscow-Istanbul; SU 2135 Istanbul-Moscow; SU 2142 Moscow-Antalya and SU 2143 Antalya-Moscow are being carried out according to schedule.

It is true both of Russians leaving for Turkey from the territory of Russia and transit passengers who head for third countries via Turkish airports.

On July 16, Rosaviatsiya banned Russian and Turkish air companies to send Russian nationals to Turkey. A Russian Transport Ministry source told TASS that the air flights had been suspended until the political situation become clear following instructions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A group of insurgents took an abortive coup attempt in Turkey late on July 16. The main confrontation took place in Ankara and Istanbul. The country’s leaders announced later that the coup attempt had been thwarted. According to the latest reports, 246 people, the putsch members excluded, died and 2,185 were injured.

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency in Turkey for three months.

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