By Mohamed Attia
Minister of Civil Aviation Samah el-Hefney emphasised the deep-rooted relationship that bonds the Egyptian civil aviation sector and Boeing Co., around half a century of fruitful co-operation in several fields.
He asserted the importance of expanding avenues of cooperation, particularly in training fields, exchanging expertise and technology, as well as technical support. This will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of technical personnel and raising the level of services offered to passengers.
The minister added that Egypt welcomes all initiatives that strengthen the sustainability of the aviation sector and support its ongoing development and upgrading plans.
The ministry seeks to create an attractive investment environment for international companies specialised in the aviation industry, el-Hefny said.
This came during the reception held by Minister Samah el-Hefny for Anbessie Yitbarek, Vice President of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Sales and Marketing for Africa, and Keith Nida, General Manager of Commercial Airplane Sales for the Middle East and Africa, along with their accompanying delegation.
The meeting took place at the ministry’s headquarters, in the presence of Accountant Amany Metwally, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation; Pilot Ahmed Adel, Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company; Pilot Sherif Khalil, Assistant Chairman of the Holding Company; Pilot Mohamed Aleyan, Chairman of EgyptAir Airlines Company; and Ahmed Marai, Head of the Planning Sector at EgyptAir Holding Company.
Both sides discussed avenues of mutual co-operation and the major challenges that face the global aviation industry, and most notably those related to supply chain distributions and their effects on production and delivery plans.
They also discussed opportunities for co-operation in the areas of technical support, fleet modernisation, and enhancing operational efficiency. This will contribute to strengthening EgyptAir’s competitiveness at both regional and international levels.
They also follow up on the supply plan for 18 planes of the model of B737-8MAX , with the first delivery scheduled for the beginning of next year.
For his part, Anbessie Yitbarek expressed his pleasure at the co-operation with the Egyptian civil aviation sector, asserted that EgyptAir is one of Boeing’s strategic partners in the Middle East and Africa.
Anbessie Yitbarek added that Boeing is keen to support future plans for modernisation and development, and to provide the latest technological solutions and advanced operational practices developed by the company, in a way that enhances EgyptAir’s competitiveness in global markets.
Meanwhile, Pilot Ahmed Adel welcomed Anbessie Yitbarek and Keith Nida. The meeting tackled the areas of mutual co-operation and explored ways to boost it during the coming period in line with EgyptAir’s ongoing expansion and modernisation plans.
The meeting reflects the long-standing historical relationship between EgyptAir and Boeing. Boeing has been a key partner in all stages of EgyptAir’s fleet modernisation, with the airline relying on Boeing aircraft to operate numerous regional and international routes.
Boeing aircraft represent 62 per cent of EgyptAir’s fleet, including 31 B737-800 planes, 8 B787-9 Dreamliners, and 5 B777-300 aircraft.
The meeting also witnessed extensive discussions that covered facilitating the procedures for receiving the new B737-8 MAX aircraft.
Boeing officials reaffirmed their full commitment to the delivery schedule of the new aircraft, with both sides agreeing that the first delivery will begin in January 2026.
Anbessie Yitbarek also confirmed that Boeing will provide full technical support for the new aircraft, including spare parts, as well as technical and engineering training programmes in coordination with the EgyptAir Training Academy. This also includes training for pilots and engineers on the modern systems of the B737-8 MAX model.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Boeing delegation invited Pilot Ahmed Adel to pay a field visit to Boeing’s factory in Seattle, USA, to learn about the latest global technologies developed by Boeing to enhance aircraft performance and improve the quality of services provided for passenger comfort.
