Rosaviatsia extends ban on int'l flights until Aug; does not annul possible start of flights to CIS countries in July - sources
MOSCOW. July 2 (Interfax) - Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) has distributed a telegram on extending the ban on the entry of foreign citizens and stateless persons into Russia until August 1, 2020, the RBC newspaper has reported, and an Interfax source in the airline industry has confirmed.
Rosaviatsia has issued such telegrams monthly since after March 27, when the government suspended international flights owing to the threat of the spread of Covid-19, an RBC source in the government explained. Thereby, this is not only a restriction on entering Russia, but also a restriction on exiting to foreign countries.
Two of Interfax's sources in the industry said at the same time that the telegram was technical in nature, meaning that if the government decides to resume flights in July, for example, as discussed, to the CIS countries, then Rosaviatsia would issue a corresponding telegram.
An Interfax source had previously reported that the government was discussing the resumption of flights to the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as of July, and to non-CIS countries no sooner than as of August. The government will take decisions based on the epidemiological situation in a specific country, the source said.
Russia's Transport Minister, Yevgeny Ditrikh, told reporters on Tuesday that the department allows for the resumption of flights to CIS countries sooner than to non-CIS countries. Rosaviatsia has prepared such proposals, the minister said, without citing specific dates.