The airline is also eyeing route network growth from other Indian cities. It currently operates four weekly flights to Delhi and five to Mumbai.
EgyptAir is on the brink of enhancing its operations in India with plans to increase daily flight frequencies from Cairo to Mumbai and Delhi.
“We aim to increase the frequency of our flights between Egypt and India, specifically targeting daily operations from both Delhi and Mumbai connecting to Cairo. Currently, we operate four weekly flights from Delhi and five from Mumbai. Despite this, there are still some unused frequencies between India and Egypt,” Amr Aly, Country Manager, EgyptAir told Travel Trends Today (T3) in an interview.
“We commenced our operations to New Delhi last year in August with four flights per week and hope to soon operate daily flights from Mumbai by next summer if everything goes according to plan,” added Aly.
He said that the final approval for increasing the flight frequencies is contingent upon regulatory approvals and operational logistics.
The move to enhance connectivity between the countries comes on heels with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Egypt last year, which further strengthened the ties between the two nations, said Aly. Post his visit, EgyptAir inaugurated its first direct flight from Cairo to New Delhi in August 2023.
“After these flights, we have seen renewed interest from Indian investors in the Egyptian market, spurred by strengthened political and economic ties between the two countries, which has further boosted traffic. This positive trend is expected to continue,” he shared.
Notably, the existing schedule for Mumbai includes flights on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, while flights from Delhi operate from Friday to Monday, Aly told T3.
In addition to boosting frequencies, EgyptAir is actively analysing traffic trends from other Indian cities for route enhancement. The airline is keen to explore new routes to cater to the growing demand for air travel between India and Egypt and is particularly interested in its southern regions, with Chennai and Mangalore looked at as potential new destinations, shared said Aly.
Additionally, EgyptAir places great importance on its relationship with Indian travel agents, asserted Aly. The airline has also announced a 45% discount on IATA agent fares, on travel and sale upto June 30 this year. “More exciting initiatives, promotions, including special fares and enhanced onboard services will be announced going forward.”
When asked about India as a key market, Aly described the country as a major catchment area due to its vast population and high propensity for travel. He pointed out that EgyptAir is keen to capture a significant market share, especially in the MICE segment.
28 aircraft by 2026
To support its expansion plans, EgyptAir is set to grow its fleet significantly. By 2026, the airline will add 28 new aircraft, including the wide-body Airbus A350, informed Aly. EgyptAir’s current fleet includes eight A320neos, with an average age of 1.8 years, ensuring a modern and efficient travel experience. Additionally, the airline’s fleet boasts six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with two more expected in the coming years.
This expansion will allow EgyptAir to optimise fleet utilisation and increase flying hours, paving the way for new routes to Europe and other regions. Destinations like Zurich, Fujairah, and Prague are on the cards, reflecting the airline’s global ambitions.
By Gagneet Kaur
