By Mohamed Attia
EgyptAir, Egypt’s national carrier, has announced a significant operational and financial upswing, achieving unprecedented profits across all its affiliated sectors during the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
This financial success extends across the entire EgyptAir Holding Company, including air services, duty-free operations, ground services, air cargo, and maintenance, underscoring the effectiveness of sound management policies and strategic synergy among the various companies under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This exceptional performance marks a major leap forward for all EgyptAir companies and activities.
The Minister of Civil Aviation, Sameh el-Hefny, confirmed that EgyptAir is proceeding with a comprehensive and ambitious fleet modernisation plan designed to enhance the travel experience and strengthen the airline’s global competitiveness.
The current combined fleet stands at 71 aircraft, comprising 67 commercial and 4 cargo planes.
Working in co-operation with a global consulting firm, the airline has developed a fleet restructuring plan with the aim of doubling the total fleet size within four years to position EgyptAir among the top airlines globally in performance and operational efficiency.
The plan for the 2030/2031 fiscal year targets a total fleet size of 97 aircraft.
The modernisation effort is centered on bolstering the fleet with 34 new aircraft known for their high efficiency and reduced environmental footprint.
Key acquisitions include an order for 16 Airbus A350-900s, which incorporates a firm contract for 10 aircraft and the finalisation of an option for an additional 6, an agreement publicly announced at the 2025 Paris Air Show.
The first A350 aircraft is scheduled to join the fleet by the end of December 2025, with gradual delivery of the remainder extending through the 2030/2031 period.
Concurrently, the company has leased 18 new Boeing B737-8 MAX aircraft, with the initial delivery expected in January 2026 and the remaining units to be delivered over the course of 2026 and 2027.
These modern airliners are projected to deliver a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions, aligning with modern environmental and technological standards and significantly enhancing operational efficiency.
To manage the delivery schedule of the new wide-body aircraft, EgyptAir has successfully extended the lease agreements for its five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The agreement with leasing company AerCap extends the lease term for 18 months, shifting the expiry from July 2025 to September 2027. Furthermore, in a significant commitment to service quality, Pilot Ahmed Adel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EgyptAir Holding Company, announced a comprehensive cabin upgrade project for 19 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. This refurbishment involves replacing both Economy and Business Class seating in partnership with Collins, a global provider of integrated service solutions, and a major upgrade of the in-flight entertainment system in coordination with Panasonic to introduce Streaming across all cabins. The first aircraft completed its upgrade by the end of July 2025, with the full project slated for completion by the end of 2026.
The fleet expansion is specifically designed to achieve targeted growth opportunities by increasing frequencies to existing network points and launching new routes.
The national carrier’s network for the fiscal year 2024/2025 reached 82 international destinations from Cairo International Airport, 4 international destinations from Alexandria International Airport, and 6 domestic destinations.
New routes added this year include Zurich, Prague, Mogadishu, Djibouti, Abidjan, Taif, Tabuk, and Misrata.
Looking ahead, Captain Adel confirmed the company’s objective for the 2025/2026 fiscal year is to operate flights to 85 international destinations from Cairo International Airport, 5 international destinations from Alexandria International Airport, and 6 domestic destinations.
Strategic plans are currently underway to further expand the network to include new destinations such as Venice, Los Angeles, and Chicago, alongside the resumption of the Alexandria-Benghazi route.
