Sri Lanka Planning To Restore Flights With Russia By Mid-October - Transport Minister

Faizan Hashmi Published September 17, 2022 | 10:10 AM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2022) The Sri Lankan authorities plan to restore flights with Russia by mid-October, Sri Lankan Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena said on Saturday in an interview with Sputnik, adding that the country first wants to restore flights with Moscow, and then connect St. Petersburg.

"First, we will try to restart (flights from) Moscow to Colombo (and back). After that - St. Petersburg," Gunawardena said, adding that the flights are expected to resume by mid-October this year.

Gunawardena added that flights between other cities may also appear later.

Aeroflot Airbus A330-300 flight from Colombo to Moscow expected to depart on June 2 was canceled due to the lack of authorization from the Sri Lankan aviation authorities and was detained at the request of a leasing company. The Russian Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest to the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Moscow, as Aeroflot suspended further flights to Colombo.

On June 6, a Sri Lankan court suspended the order barring the Aeroflot plane from leaving the country.