EgyptAir offers incentives, discounts to attract 30m tourists to Egypt
By Mohamed Attia
Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas held an expanded meeting on Tuesday with journalists covering the ministry’s news.
The two-hour meeting is the first since he assumed his top post in August 2021.
At the beginning of the meeting, the minister of civil aviation reviewed the most important development projects, which were implemented in aviation sector over the past few years.
He also spoke about the future plans for the aviation sector. Minister Abbas reviewed the history of aviation sector, specifically since 2002, stressing that EgyptAir has a legacy of more than 90 years.
Minister Abbas confirmed during the meeting that the ministry is keen to take into account the social dimension for all workers. He noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, no worker was laid off in the Egyptian civil aviation sector, thanks to the support of the state, at a time when several companies and airports around the world laid off a great number of staff and workers. This explained the ability of the ministry’s companies and airports to accommodate the return of operation without any problems, unlike some other global airliners that found problems in organising travel movement once work resumed after the recession of the Covid-19 epidemic.
During the meeting, Minister Abbas said that he is keen to conduct inspection tours inside Cairo International Airport and other local airports nationwide to follow up the performance of workers and the services provided to passengers, as well as follow up the development work that is taking place in all airports.
He noted that he was eager to improve the performance of the entire ministry’s staff in work sites to meet the requirements of the global industry, which is developing rapidly.
Abbas indicated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and all its subsidiaries did not delay in repaying loan installments in various projects, even in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which caused great losses to the aviation industry globally.
The ministry’s strategy
Minister Abbas told the reporters that his ministry is attaching paramount importance to developing and raising the efficiency of air transport system.
He said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has drawn up a comprehensive strategy, which aims to maximise revenues and optimal utilization of resources, attract more investments, stimulate air traffic and reinvigorate inbound tourism so as to achieve the goals of the Egyptian state to reach 30 million tourists in the near future.
Abbas added that his ministry offers a package of incentives and discounts to airlines, reaching up to 50 per cent on landing, accommodation, waiting and ground services fees.
The minister of civil aviation confirmed sustaining the development system, raising the efficiency of airports, increasing their capacity, improving the quality of services provided to passengers, and modernizing the air fleet of the national company.
He said that his ministry is working hard on expanding the airline network through opening new markets, enhancing low-cost aviation activity, strengthening co-operation with the private sector in all fields, and training the human resources.
He said that the human element represents the real wealth of the sector, which contributes to increasing investments in the aviation field.
This, in turn, contributes to propping up the national economy, achieving a quantum leap for the Egyptian aviation sector, hence enhancing its position regionally and internationally.
The minister clarified that a great effort is being exerted to complete the development system with the aim of increasing revenues and offering the highest quality of services in a manner befitting the leading position that Egypt enjoys in the field of air transport at regional and global levels.
Sphinx International Airport
Minister Abbas said that the Sphinx International Airport, one of the most important new airports across the country, went into operation after its development and increasing its capacity to 1.2 million passengers annually.
Domestic flights were operated from it earlier last November, and international flights started in December.
The minister said that the development of Borg Al Arab airport is under way and the first new environmentally friendly facility is expected to open next June.
He said that his ministry has developed Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport, coinciding with the UN COP27 summit last November, through increasing its capacity to reach 10 million passengers annually.
The development plan also includes various airports, particularly Cairo, Hurghada and St. Catherine airports. The security system at Egyptian airports has been modernised according to the latest international standards, the minister said, adding that air navigation systems have been developed.
He said that his ministry has established the National Centre for Airspace Management to increase the efficiency of air traffic in Egyptian airspace.
Egypt has been playing an important role as a hub of transport and trade in Middle East and North Africa region. Egypt achieved rapid growth of civil aviation sector recently with economic and population growth.
Minister Abbas pointed out that the national air carrier, EgyptAir, drew the expertise of global airlines, including Lufthansa, to develop the civil aviation sector. He said that EgyptAir Company now owns 70 aircraft.
Abbas added that we had a great challenge during the transportation of COP27 delegations, as nearly 36,000 visitors were transported. Local and international aviation authorities across the world praised the services provided to the guests of climate change summit.
Integrated network
Minister Abbas stressed that the ministry is keen to link Egypt with all world countries through an integrated air network. He said that EgyptAir witnessed a modernization of its air fleet and expansion in the air network, as the company airlines reach 70 points and about 1200 points through its membership in the global Star Alliance, the leading global airline network, in terms of daily flights, destinations, countries flown to, and number of member airlines.
Air Cairo, one of the ministry’s subsidiaries and the low-cost arm of EgyptAir, is integrating with the national company by operating low-cost flights from various countries of the world and opening new markets to Egyptian tourist destinations.
Abbas said that Air Cairo now owns 24 planes, compared to 12 aircraft last July, adding that next March; it will have 30 aircraft within its modern fleet.
Comprehensive development
of all airports nationwide
The minister of civil aviation said that, as of next March, El-Alamein airport will be ready to receive all regular airline flights.
He added that development work in Terminal 2 at Borg al-Arab Airport was supposed to be finished and inaugurated in March, but has been extended to July.
The Bernice Airport is also ready for full operation, he said, while Sphinx International Airport has been opened to international and domestic flights in the past two months.
Minister Abbas said that development work is proceeding ahead at Egyptian airports across the country. He said that developing Sharm El-Sheikh airport costs around LE1.2 billion, and development work at Sphinx International Airport totalled approximately LE2 billion.
Operation rates
He pointed out that the Egyptian airports achieved, during the year 2022, the highest operating rates after overcoming the repercussions of the global Covid-19 crisis.
The Cairo International Airport witnessed the departure and travel of 77,000 passengers on December 31 in conjunction with the New Year and Christmas celebrations.
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