TASS, a Russian news agency has stated that Russia may restore flights to South Korea and the Maldives, at the next stage of reviving international air travel in the country.
“South Korea and the Maldives may become the next countries we open-air service with,” the news agency quoted from a source close to the aviation authorities.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has announced that the country plans to resume international flights from August 1, but the list of destinations will initially be limited to Tanzania, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
Golikova said that decrease in infected cases allows Russia to resume international flights from airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don. She further added that Russian will ensure that the resumption in flights does not lead to new appearance of imported coronavirus cases. Foreigners arriving in Russia are required to present a negative coronavirus test results taken within the past 72 hours to be allowed entry.
Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrikh added that Russia will gradually expand to more destinations as the country is currently negotiating with 30 other countries on resuming flights.
The country closed its borders and halted international air travel in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Russia grounded nearly all international flights in late March to slow the coronavirus outbreak, allowing only special flights evacuating Russians from abroad and other flights authorized by the government. Its borders remain closed to most foreign citizens despite the resumed flights.
Russia is the 4th most important market to the Maldives and resuming flights between Moscow and Male will be a major boost to the Maldives’ efforts to revive the country’s tourism-dependent economy. Based on figures in 2019, the Russian market showed a 17.5% growth in arrivals to the Maldives.
