Egypt outlines ambitious plans for aviation

As the inaugural Egypt International Air Show, the country’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Sameh El-Hefny outlined some of the steps that the government is taking to attract more tourists to Egypt and to boost aviation traffic, opening more air routes in the growing African market, modernising and expanding its airport infrastructure, and encouraging tour operators and airlines to significantly increase airline seat numbers.

Egypt’s 14 existing airlines provide a strong foundation of further expansion within the region. Flag carrier EgyptAir will be central to these plans, as it already serves 26 destinations across 21 African countries, and has plans to expand to 32 airports in 30 African countries by 2028, partly by leveraging its hybrid subsidiary, Air Cairo.

Egypt also hopes to streamline flight operations and optimise airspace utilisation, and is exploring the possible integration of neighbouring Flight Information Regions (FIRs).

Egypt also hopes to expand the capacity of its airport infrastructure, aiming to go from 66.27 million passengers annually in 2023 to 72.2 million passengers by 2025. Cairo will be developed as a regional aviation hub, while Alexandria’s Borg El Arab Airport is to gain a second terminal, boosting capacity from 1.2 million to 6 million passengers annually.

El Alamein Airport is seen as being a potential key gateway for international travellers, and capacity is being expanded to 400 passengers per hour to cater for growing tourism, including the launch of services by Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier flynas.

Sphinx International Airport is to become a regional hub for day trips from Red Sea resorts, attracting tourists with its proximity to the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. It has already doubled its capcity to 900 passengers per hour.