Sphinx airport receives 1st flight of Jazeera Airways

By Mohamed Attia 

The Sphinx International Airport received on Tuesday its first flight of Jazeera Airways coming from Kuwait, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement.

The Jazeera Airways flight, Airbus320, was carrying 167 passengers.

The plane was sprayed with water according to a well-known tradition stipulating that first flights from airlines be sprayed with water upon their arrival to their intended airport, according to the statement.

This tradition is known globally as the “Water Salute” and is used to mark the retirement of a senior pilot or air traffic controller, the first or last flight of an airline to an airport, the first or last flight of a specific type of aircraft, and as a token of respect for the remains of soldiers killed in action.

Jazeera Airways will operate four weekly flights between Sphinx and Kuwait International Airports, the statement continued.

Since its reopening in November, Sphinx airport has witnessed various airlines around the world operating their first flights to the airport, as well as an increase in the number of passengers.

The airport received its first Spanish Air Europa Airline flight in mid-April from Madrid, first Condor Airlines flight from Frankfurt in late March and the first Nesma Airlines flight from Madrid in late February.