MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. The delegation of Russian aviation specialists may visit Egypt to check compliance with security regulations at airports in the first half of 2017, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told Rossiya 24 TV channel.

"According to our estimates, it will be the first half of 2017. I hope that maybe it will be the first quarter," Sokolov said.

Egypt moved forward considerably in ensuring security at airports, he added. "We are waiting for an invitation from the Egyptian side after implementation of the whole package of measures, in order to make a final expert assessment and report to the country's leadership on principal readiness of Egyptian airports - all of them or every single one in particular - for resuming air service," he noted.

Sokolov earlier said that date of resuming air service with Egypt will depend on setting up the biometric system of personnel access at Egyptian airports. All other measures on strengthening security have already been taken.