MOSCOW, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian government signed on Sunday a decree lifting the restrictions on charter flights to Turkey after an eight-month ban introduced due to tensions between the two countries arising from the downing of a Russian warplane by Ankara in Nov. 2015.
Following the move, a number of Russian airlines have begun to submit applications to the country's air transport authorities for charter flights to Turkey.
Meanwhile, the Russian government has proposed that airlines take additional steps to ensure the safety of charter flights between Russia and Turkey.
Russia has taken a series of restrictive measures against Turkey from 2016, including bans on the import of Turkish foodstuffs, charter flights in both directions, and the visa-free travel regime between them.
On June 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a lift of the ban on package tours to Turkey and instructed the government to take steps to resume charter flights between the two countries after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized for the downing of the Russian warplane.
