Russian airline seeks compensation from Egypt after A321 jet crash

Russia’s Kogalymavia airline plans to demand compensation from Egypt’s authorities over the crash of its Airbus A321 passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula caused by a terrorist attack in late October, the Forbes magazine reported on Monday.

Businessman Ismail Lepiyev, who owns the TH&C tourist holding that includes Kogalymavia (brand name Metrojet), said in the interview the airline plans to reach an agreement with Cairo on compensations without filing any lawsuits.

"Egypt is Russia’s partner in many spheres, these are the relations which have been built over decades, and we respect this and will try to agree to the last on compensation without judicial steps," Lepiyev said.

The airline expects Egypt to declare the official results of the investigation, the businessman added. Kogalymavia also plans to increase the aircraft fleet from four to eight planes and develop regular flights besides the charter programs.

On December 3, Russia’s transport watchdog Rostransnadzor found no violations in the activity of the airline.

On October 31 the plane belonging to Russia's Kogalymavia airline was en route from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to St. Petersburg in Russia when it crashed over the Sinai Peninsula. All the 224 people onboard, including 217 passengers and seven crew members, perished.

The A321 crash was a terror attack with the explosion of a homemade bomb with a yield of up to one kilogram TNT. Russia later announced it temporarily suspends flights to Egypt due to security concerns.