Cairo - A Ukrainian airline is planning charter flights between Cairo and Kiev starting September 7, while the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plans to have direct flight between Cairo and Kiev in the Spring of 2018, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Cairo, Hennadii Latii, adding that the number of Ukrainian tourists to Egypt reached 450,000 in 2016. In a press conference held at the embassy headquarters on Thursday, the Ukrainian ambassador said that between 25 and 30 flights a week are operated to transport tourists from Ukrainian cities to Sharm el-Sheikh, and about 30 flights from Ukrainian cities to Hurghada. The number of tourists who have traveled from Ukraine and other eastern countries, such as Belarus and Estonia, to Egypt from January to August 2017 reached 600,000, according to Latii. The ambassador also stated that there is no competition between Ukrainian and Russian airline companies even if Moscow decides to return Russian tourism to Egypt because there is no direct flight between Kiev and Moscow. Egypt and Ukraine cooperate as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, said Latii, pointing out Ukraine supported all Egypt's proposals submitted to the council to combat terrorism.
