Russian Airports May Ban Entry for Those Seeing Off and Welcoming Passengers

The Russian Ministry of Transport plans to tighten security regulations at airports. The agency has prepared a document that intensifies security measures at the country's airports. The bill developed by the Ministry is currently undergoing a regulatory impact assessment. The changes could take effect on September 1, 2024. The resolution has been published on the federal portal of draft regulatory legal acts.

According to the document prepared by the Ministry of Transport, it is proposed to "prohibit individuals from entering the territory of transport infrastructure facilities without travel documents, transport documents, permanent or one-time passes." This means that neither those seeing off nor those welcoming passengers will be able to access the airports.

Another initiative by the Ministry of Transport involves the involvement of the Russian National Guard in ensuring security at air transportation hubs. Additionally, transport security personnel may soon be allowed to carry weapons when on duty at infrastructure facilities.

It is noteworthy that there are airports around the world where meeting and seeing off passengers is prohibited. Specifically, individuals cannot access the airports in Delhi or Tashkent without a ticket or passport. Meanwhile, the All-Russian Association of Passengers is not in favor of this initiative.