Nikitin suggested punishing tour operators for flight tickets without permits

Tour operators should be responsible for selling tickets for flights operated by airlines that do not have official flight permits. This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation Andrey Nikitin during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026).

"Of course, a serious responsibility lies with tour operators who sell tickets, knowing that there will be no official permission for flights. This is a serious issue, and responsibility for it is necessary," he said in an interview with TASS.

Nikitin noted that the transport department is currently solving these issues jointly with the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. The head of the Ministry of Transport stressed that it is of fundamental importance for the Ministry that tour operators comply with all established requirements.

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Anton Nemkin, a State Duma deputy and coordinator of the Digital Russia project, said on June 2 that fraudsters had become more active in Russia before the summer holidays, creating fake websites for airlines and tour operators, as well as offering fictitious rental housing at low prices. The MP explained that fake websites look almost indistinguishable from real ones: they use logos, photos, interface and reviews, creating the illusion of legitimacy. The purpose of the scammers is to obtain funds and bank card data.