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Russia restores regular flights to Turkey

Xinhua, July 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russia on Friday restored regular flights to Turkey, which had been restricted earlier due to a coup attempt in Ankara.

"As a result of Turkey's guarantees of additional aviation security measures, effective from 12:01 a.m. July 22 (2101 GMT July 21), Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) lifted all restrictions on regular passenger service between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey...," said a statement released by Russian flag carrier Aeroflot.

Russia on July 1 lifted restrictions on tourism to Turkey, including a ban on charter flights, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized for the downing of a Russian plane near the Syrian-Turkish border in November 2015.

But on July 16, Moscow imposed a travel ban to Turkey for Russian citizens shortly after the July 15 coup attempt in Ankara, which forced Russian air carriers to cut flights and only allow those available for foreigners.

The Turkish government crushed the coup in which at least 290 people, including more than 100 "coup plotters," were killed, while Turkey's parliament on Thursday passed a bill to introduce a three-month state of emergency. Endi