Direct flights between Dhaka, Cairo by EgyptAir to boost leisure, business, student travel: Mahbub Ali

Dhaka : The launch of EgyptAir's flights on Dhaka-Cairo route will be a milestone in the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries Bangladesh and Egypt. As EgyptAir commences the first-ever direct flights on the route, leisure, business and student travellers of Bangladesh will have a great opportunity to visit Egypt and onward destinations in Europe and North America through the Egyptian national carrier. The move will boost trade, business, cargo transport, travel and tourism between the two countries. 

Md Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism said this while Mostafa Magdy Hussain Elkady, District Manager-Bangladesh of EgyptAir and Farhad Hossain, Executive Director and COO of EgyptAir GSA in Bangladesh paid a courtesy call at the former's office in the capital on April 11. 

EgyptAir is set to begin its scheduled flight operations to Bangladesh on May 14, 2023 with two-weekly initial flights on Dhaka-Cairo route (Sundays and Wednesdays) by brand-new Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

At the courtesy meeting with the State Minister, the District Manager in Bangladesh of EgyptAir Hussain Elkady highlighted his country as the cradle of modern civilisation, saying, "Egypt and EgyptAir welcome travellers from Bangladesh to enjoy the Egyptian hospitality and various cultural heritage the country it offers."

He also urged the State Minister to help increase bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Egypt through trade, tourism, and investment. 

During the meeting, Farhad Hossain, Executive Director, and COO of Egypt Air GSA in Bangladesh, said, "Commencing flights on this route would boost tourism, trade, and business between the two countries. With this new move, EgyptAir will become the sole operator of nonstop/direct flights between Egypt and Bangladesh in the history of Bangladesh's aviation industry."

EgyptAir hopes the nonstop service will further boost leisure travel between the two countries and connect traffic through Cairo to the airline's onward destinations like the USA, Canada, Middle East and Africa, said a press release. 

The airline currently operates flights to over 80 destinations, including the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the USA, with a fleet of 69 modern aircraft.

Reports cited Sabre Market Intelligence figures revealing O&D traffic between the two countries totaled 17,320 two-way passengers in 2019, with Cairo-Dhaka accounting for 75 per cent of the traffic on a city pair basis. In the absence of direct service, about 35 per cent of passengers flew one-stop to CAI via Dubai.