Egypt’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in the House of Representatives has urged for a reorganization of the national airline, Egyptair. The recommendation follows the airline’s failure to be ranked among the top 100 airlines globally and the top 10 in the Arab region in 2023.

During a meeting on Wednesday, January 17, with Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister, Mohamed Helmy, Egyptair representatives, and other key parties, the Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee discussed the restructuring of the state-owned airline. The committee’s chair, Nora Ali, acknowledged Egyptair’s legacy as one of the oldest carriers in the Arab world and its position as the second-largest in Africa by fleet size.

As per Ahram Online’s coverage, Ali emphasized the necessity for Egyptair to undertake thorough evaluations of safety and security in its aircraft leasing and acquisition deals. Additionally, the committee proposed allowing private sector competition as a means to spur growth and improve services, which would ultimately benefit Egypt’s tourism industry.

Minister Helmy reported that over the past decade, Egypt has allocated approximately $660 million (EGP28.83 billion) towards enhancing its air transport infrastructure. He highlighted that passenger numbers traveling to and from the country rose from 33 million in 2015 to over 43 million in 2023. Last year, Egyptian airports experienced a 28% surge in passenger traffic and a 23% rise in aircraft movements. Cairo International Airport continues to be the country’s most frequented airport. Egypt aims to boost its passenger count to 109 million by 2030.

Egyptair’s absence from the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards’ top 100 list marks a notable downturn. The airline ranked 95th the previous year, trailing African peers such as Air Mauritius, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Royal Air Maroc, and Ethiopian Airlines, but this was an improvement from its 121st position in 2021.

In early 2022, Helmy attributed Egyptair’s financial struggles and losses to the depreciation of the Egyptian Pound against the US Dollar and rising jet fuel costs. However, he noted a fiscal upturn in the first quarter of FY2023/2024, coinciding with the airline expanding its fleet.

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Source: Simple Flying