By Mohamed Attia
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched trial operations for a modern radar system at Cairo International Airport.
The upgrade serves as a core foundation of Egypt’s comprehensive strategy to modernise its air navigation technical infrastructure, boost safety standards, and expand air traffic handling capacity to meet projected future growth.
Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh el-Hefny visited the airport’s air traffic control tower to inspect the operational readiness of the equipment firsthand.
Joined by Chairman of the Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation Ayman Fawzy Arab and Chairman of the National Air Navigation Services Company Ehab Mohie, el-Hefny evaluated air traffic controllers operating the new technology under live conditions and confirmed the trial ran seamlessly with zero flight disruptions.
During the visit, the minister praised the professionalism of Egypt’s air traffic controllers, flight information specialists, and navigation systems engineers.
He emphasised that maximum technological efficiency relies on seamlessly integrating skilled personnel across all aviation sectors.
El-Hefny noted that recent commendations from major international aviation organisations, including ICAO, Eurocontrol, and IATA, reflect the high technical standards of Egyptian navigation teams.
As part of the same monitoring initiative, el-Hefny conducted a follow-up inspection across Cairo International Airport to assess passenger service readiness for upcoming peak travel periods.
El-Hefny reviewed customs procedures at Terminal 3 alongside Youssef Fouad Youssef, Head of Cairo Airport Customs Central Administration.
The minister called for tight coordination between airport operations and Ministry of Finance customs teams to ensure rapid passenger processing while enforcing full regulatory compliance.
