Egypt, Boeing discussing new aircrafts entering circulation

Heisey noted that the geography of the Middle East, including Egypt, provides a unique environment for the aviation sector to operate.

“The Middle East has a centuries-old role of connecting economies and populations in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Within an 8-hour flight from the region’s hubs, travelers can reach 80 percent of the world’s population, and 70 percent of the global economic growth forecast for the next two decades [is projected to take place there]”, Heisey expounded.

On how the region’s countries — including Egypt — could maximise their revenues from commercial aviation and boost their economies amid the ongoing pandemic, Heisey said that cargo is a key potential revenue enhancer for the region, adding that some carriers have already benefitted from generating above-average cargo revenue in the last 12 months.

Air cargo traffic flown by Middle Eastern carriers has increased since 2020 by nearly 20 percent, and now two of the world’s top-five cargo carriers are based in the region, according to Heisey.

He added that onboard services such as in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi is another potential revenue generator that many airlines can utilise, stressing that Boeing airplanes have the capability to support these services.