By Mohamed Attia
The national air carrier, EgyptAir, has quashed rumours that the company will be sold.
EgyptAir is one of the world’s pioneer airlines. Established in May of 1932, it became the first carrier in the Middle East and the seventh in the world.
EgyptAir refuted these baseless allegations, aimed at harming the company and injecting the spirit of defeatism and confusion among its workers.
The cabinet’s media centre denied on Wednesday reports claiming that the government plans to sell EgyptAirCompany.
In a statement, the centre said it contacted the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which dismissed the news as baseless.
The ministry stressed that EgyptAir will remain state-owned as it is one of the main state arms in the air transportation mechanism.
The ministry said that it plans to upgrade the company’s fleet and increase its flights. The company continues its path of advancement and preserving workers, based on its national and societal role.
For his part, Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas quashed, during his interview with aviation reporters earlier this month, the rumours about the sale of EgyptAir. He said that the national company was keen to exchange expertise with Lufthansa, to study the current situation of the company, which confirmed the need to suffice with only 70 aircraft now, which is what the company currently owns.
Minister Abbas said that his ministry is keen to link Egypt with all countries through an integrated air network and opening new lines.
EgyptAir has witnessed a modernization of its air fleet and expansion in the air network, as the company reaches about 1,200 points through its membership in the global Star Alliance.
The minister also held another meeting, during the past few days, with a number of representatives of the EgyptAir Holding Company and its subsidiaries.
During the meeting, he confirmed that these rumours are baseless and aimed to provoke the controversy, especially in light of the achievements the national company is witnessing during the current period.
The minister called on all civil aviation workers not to pay attention to such rumours, being circulated with the main target of harming EgyptAir’s business and shaking its image as a national aircarrier.
He stressed that his office is open around the clock to all workers to inquire about any issues concerning them or contribute to the development of the civil aviation sector.
Meanwhile, EgyptAir, headed by Eng. YehiaZakaria, developed a comprehensive plan to increase its air fleet and expand air network.
Flights and seat capacity were also doubled for many points to attract more tourists from all over the world to visit Egypt.
EgyptAir has also drawn an overall strategy to achieve sustainable development and preserve environment through reducing carbon emissions, cutting weight on the plane and limiting the use of single-use plastic on board its flights, Minister Abbas said.
The company has operated many flights with environmentally friendly services in addition to conducting waste recycling campaigns in order to achieve the ambitious goals of sustainable development, the minister added.
EgyptAir also received great praise from a number of international civil aviation organisations. Jeffrey Goh, Chief Executive of Star Alliance Services, stressed during his recent meeting with Minister Abbas the importance of EgyptAir’s role in the alliance in terms of developing the services provided to passengers.
During the meeting, Goh described Cairo International Airport as a pivotal airport in the region.
