CAIRO: Egypt plans to resume flights next month with countries that have opened their airports.
Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Manar said Sunday that all airports wold reopen on July 1.
The decision is “an important step for the aviation sector to be accompanied with the sanitization operations for all the country’s airports and airplanes,” he said.
Egypt said Thursday that foreign tourists would be allowed to return to coastal resorts like Sharm El-Sheikh in July.
The health minister also said earlier this month that Egyptian tourist destinations have recorded the lowest numbers of coronavirus cases, unlike greater Cairo, which has the highest number of infections.
Flights would be offering dry food and canned drinks only, Manar said. Printed publications and magazines on board would be banned as well in a bid to limit the virus spread.
Egypt suspended regular international flights in March and shut down restaurants, hotels and cafes as measures against the coronavirus spread.
The pandemic has shut down Egypt’s tourist sector, which the government says accounts for 5% of GDP. Analysts say the figure may be as high as 15% if indirect jobs and spending and investment are included.
