End of Russian Trips to Egypt? Major Airline Cuts Flights

AlMasria Universal Airlines, one of Egypt's largest private airlines, will cut flights between Russia and the popular resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada by a third during the upcoming holiday season.

According to Newsky, the route cuts will come into effect on May 20 and are caused by secondary sanctions imposed by the European Union, which have limited the Egyptian airline's ability to purchase European aircraft.

AlMasria is a private, low-cost carrier that specializes in flights from Italy, Saudi Arabia and Russia to the resorts of Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Alexandria. Its main hub is Cairo Airport.

After Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommended that airlines avoid flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. In January this year, after the downing of an Azerbaijani airliner, it warned non-European carriers not to fly into Russia's western airspace due to the risk of accidental attack by its air defense systems. (PAP)

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