EGYPT: Nile Air Growing Rapidly 32%, Flights Regularity 92%

Chief Executive Officer of Nile Air Ahmed Ali said that the company’s growth rate has reached 32 percent and the regularity of its flights is 92 percent.

He added that the company has not raised the prices of domestic flights after the decision by Egypt’s Central Bank last year to devaluate the local currency.

Prices have only increased on international flights, he clarified.

During a press conference held in Sharm el-Sheikh on the occasion of the company’s purchase of a new Airbus A320-200 aircraft and announcing the company’s future plan for strengthening domestic and foreign tourism, Ali said that the company organizes 500 flights per month to 7 countries, Saudi Arabia being the main one.

To encourage investment in Egypt, one of its airplanes has been decorated with the Egyptian flag accompanied by the words Invest in Egypt, he said.

He also noted that the company is also currently seeking to open new routes to the African continent, motivated by the national orientation towards Africa, pointing out that flights are currently being operated to Port Sudan.

He pointed out that the company will honor the families of the martyrs of Friday’s terrorist attack in North Sinai, which killed 310 people, without specifying how.

Since its establishment in 2006, Nile Air has intended to put 30 percent of its shares on the stock exchange.

It plans to follow through on the intention next year, which would mean that the company would become the first private sector airline in Egypt to be listed on the stock exchange.

Ali went on to say that Nile Air recently inagurated a training academy for the airline which will contribute to developing education in the aviation sector.

Nile Air was established in 2006 and started operations as an Egyptian airline in 2010.


Tourism Observer

Nile Air And Pegasus Sign Codeshare Deal, Pegasus Launches Flights To Muscat And Dammam Via Istanbul

Turkey’s leading low-cost airline Pegasus has signed a codeshare agreement with Nile Air, Egypt’s largest private airline.

Through the codeshare partnership, Pegasus guests will be able to purchase flights from Pegasus channels for the Nile Air flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Cairo as of 15 June 2018.

Pegasus guests will be able to travel with Nile Air four days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with the flights operated fromSabiha Gökçen to Cairo at16:05* and from Cairo to Sabiha Gökçen at 11:50.

With the addition of Nile Air, Pegasus now operates six codeshare partnerships, with agreements also in place with:

- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

- Flynas

- Alitalia

- Qatar Airways

- Delta Air Lines.

The Turkish carrier will launch three times weekly flights to the Omani capital on July 3.

This will increase to four times weekly from July 15.

Stansted-Muscat services, via Istanbul, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, returning Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Prices start from £115.99.

Meanwhile, Pegasus has rolled out daily flights to Saudi Arabia’s third largest city Dammam, via Istanbul, with fares starting from £159.99.

The additions takes Pegasus’s network to 110 destinations in 43 countries.


Tourism Observer

EGYPT: Nile Air Purchases Latest Airbus A321neo

Nile Air company has requested to purchase the most recent single-aisle airbus planes, model A321neo.

The company made the purchase request to the European manufacturing company for the model A321ceo in April, as an upgrade from A321neo.

CEO of the company, Ahmed Ali, said that Nile Air is the first airline company in Egypt to request the latest technologies of an airbus of the single-aisle model of A321neo.

He added that A321neo airbus will provide “new levels of comfort and longer flight time.” The company’s goal is to show their commitment to operation of the latest fleets of aircrafts from their Egyptian headquarters.

He said the airplane will contain 220 seats in business and economy cabins.

The new flexibility and abilities of the A321neo will allow Nile Air increase and expand the company’s flights to Europe, the Middle East and local destinations in Egypt.

The new plane is equipped with the latest amenities, including comfortable seats, advanced technology for entertainment and the latest technology in flying, according to Ali.

Ali said that there was a has been a contract to purchase the plane since 2007.

The airbus 320neo family, which includes A321neo, provides the latest engine technology which saves 15 percent of fuel and provides longer operation time, in addition to a low cost of maintenance and less harmful emissions.

With nearly 4500 purchase request from about 80 clients since the launching of this model in 2010, the A320eno has acquired a market share of 60 percent..

EGYPT: Nile Air Announce Seventh Destination in Saudi Arabia

Starting from the 7th of August, Nile Air will launch its 6th destination to Saudi Arabia with the launch of services between Cairo and Al-Jawf.

The new service will operate on a twice weekly basis (every Sunday & Friday), offering our customers’ conveniently scheduled and timed flights for our guests.

EGYPT: Nile Air Announce New Flights to Jeddah and Yanbu From December 2015

To meet growing customer demand between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and to offer our guests more options and flexibility when travelling, Nile Air is pleased to announce that services between Cairo and Yanbu will increase from 7 to 14 flights per week (twice per day) from 13th December.

In addition services between Alexandria (Borg Al Arab Airport) to Jeddah will increase from 7 to 10 flights per week (twice per day on Sunday, Wednesday & Friday) from 13th December.

Starting From 15th of December 2015.

EGYPT: Nile Air Announce 3rd Weekly Service To Al-Jouf

Due to strong demand on Nile Air’s newest route to Saudi Arabia and upon request our customers, the airline is pleased to announce a new third weekly flight on the Cairo – Al-Jouf route from September 2015.

The new flight will operate every Wednesday and offers customers greater choice and flexibility in their travel.

Nile Air is also the only airline to offer a true business class service non-stop between both cities.

Cairo - Al-Jouf: increases from 2 to 3 flights per week

EGYPT: About Nile Air

Nile Air is an Egyptian Joint Stock Company established in 2008, and is 'mainly owned' by Dr. Nasser Al Tayyar, President of Al Tayyar Group, a prominent travel agency based in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nile Air is shown in the accounts of the Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding Company as a 'related company'.

Nile Air is an Egyptian airline based at Cairo International Airport that operates scheduled services to destinations in Egypt and the Middle East. The airline is associated with the Al Tayyar Travel Group, and is the largest private scheduled airline in Egypt.

It is a full service carrier with business and economy class services that operates scheduled and charter services, using a small fleet of Airbus A320-200s.

The airline's head office is located opposite Cairo International Airport's Terminal 1 in Cairo, Egypt.

On 1 November 2009, the airline received its (AOC) from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, which permitted the airline to launch operations. It launched operations in August 2010, initially operating a short term wet lease contract with Libyan Arab Airlines, before starting scheduled services from Egypt in March 2011, with the launch of flights to Saudi Arabia.

In January 2011, the airline became the first private Egyptian airline to publish its schedule and flight availability on the Global Distribution System (GDS). By the end of December 2013, Nile Air joined the Arab Air Carriers Organization.

The airline had originally ordered nine Airbus A321-200 aircraft in 2007, however in 2015 this order was adjusted to two Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

EGYPT: Nile Air Ties Its Fleet Growth With Flight Operation At Cairo International Airport

CEO of Nile Air and Managing Director of Al Tayyar Travel Group Yousry Abdel Wahab said that his company is willing to increase the number of airplanes in its fleet if private companies are permitted to operate flights directly from Cairo International Airport.

He added that Al Tayyar Travel Group is eager to increase the company’s fleet to 10 airplanes during the coming period; however, this would depend on the retraction of current policies allowing Egypt Air to monopolise air traffic at Cairo International Airport. The group owns 60% of Nile Air, which currently operates flights via two airplanes.

Abdel Wahab explained that 90% of passenger traffic on the group’s airplanes comes from flights between Egypt and Saudi Arabia; it is considered a gamble for Egyptian companies to operate flights from the domestic and regional airports of Saudi Arabia. He added that private Egyptian companies operate flights to most of the 27 Saudi Arabia airports. He stressed on the importance of opening the Egyptian airport (to private companies) like Saudi Arabia. This policy led to an increase of 33% in the Saudi air traffic.

He explained that the deal between the Egyptian and Saudi civil aviation authorities, which led to opening the countries’ airspaces to private companies, led to a growth in air traffic by 31.5%. He added that Al Tayyar Travel Group has 29 offices in 27 Saudi airports in addition to two branches at the Al Riyadh and Medina airports.

He explained that Nile Air was founded by Al Tayyar Group (originally a Saudi company), and although the contract did not specify that flights from Cairo Airport would be prohibited, they continue to be prevented by the aviation authority.