Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree to lift the flight ban and Russian airline companies began filing requests to the Russian Transport Ministry for starting charter flights to Turkey. Charter flights to Turkey, a popular holiday destination among Russians, were subjected to limitations in November 2015 after Turkey’s military shot down a Russian warplane, killing two pilots.
Relations have improved after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized for the incident and met with Putin in Moscow on August 9. After the meeting, Putin announced Moscow’s decision to resume charter flights to Turkey.
First charter flights with Russian tourists will fly to Turkey on September 4-5, Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia announced. Earlier some media reported that the charter flights from Russia to Turkey for clients of the Intourist tour operator will start on September 2. But a manager with the tour operator told TASS that the tours to Turkey with a departure date of September 2 the company offers on its website imply regular, not charter flights.
