Cairo, Jan 19 (IANS): In a first since 2017, Egypt has resumed commercial flights to Qatar following a milestone agreement between the two Arab nations to resume bilateral ties.

The official Egyptian TV announced that EgyptAir flight MS935 on Monday took off from the Cairo International Airport to Doha, with 38 passengers on board, reports Xinhua news agency.

On January 14, EgyptAir, the national flag carrier, decided to operate a daily flight to Doha starting from Monday, two days after Cairo's Ministry of Civil Aviation lifted a three-and-half-year airspace ban on the Gulf country.

The decision came days after Egypt signed the Al-Ula declaration at the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, which ended a boycott on Qatar by the Arab quartet.

The Arab quartet of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017 and imposed an embargo on the Gulf state, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Qatar has repeatedly denied all the charges.

Saudi Arabia had already reopened its airspace and borders to Qatar a day ahead of the Gulf summit.