Moscow removes ban on charter flights to Turkey

Following a meeting and phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Moscow has lifted restrictions on charter flights to Turkey, Russian media reported.
According to Sputnik news, Russian airlines seeking to operate charter flights to Turkey can submit applications to Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, RIA Novosti reported a source as saying on Saturday.
“Restrictions on charter flights to Turkey were lifted today; all interested airlines can apply to operate flights,” the source said.
The Russian Transport Ministry has proposed abolishing restrictions on charter flights to Turkey, but it has not yet been signed off by the Cabinet, a prime ministerial spokeswoman said on Saturday.
It is premature to announce the resumption of charter flights to Turkey without a corresponding government decree, a Transport Ministry spokesman told RIA Novosti.
Charter flights between Russia and Turkey were halted after the Turkish Air Forces downed a Russian Su-24 in November for airspace violations.
Putin signed a decree on June 30 telling the government to take steps to eliminate restrictions on tourism and charter flights to Turkey after the Turkish president apologized in a letter for the downing of the jet and extended condolences to the family of a pilot who died in the incident.
Following a meeting in St. Petersburg between the two leaders on Aug. 9, Putin announced a decision to resume charter flights to Turkey.
Erdoğan and Putin spoke by phone on Aug. 26 and agreed to meet again on the sidelines of the Sept. 4-5 G-20 summit in China.