E is for EgyptAir
EgyptAir is the country’s national airline and is celebrating it’s 80th birthday this month! While I have only flown internationally with EgyptAir a handful of times, I am becoming quite a frequent flyer on their Cairo-Sharm El Sheikh route operated by EgyptAir Express. The bilingual in-flight magazine, Horus, ran a feature article on the history of the company.
A few highlights from the historic timeline of EgyptAir:
- May 7, 1932 – “Misr Airwork” is founded.
- 1933 – In two 4-seat passenger planes, regular flights are scheduled between Cairo – Alexandria – Marsa Matrouh.
- 1936 – First airline to land in Jeddah and El Medinah in Saudi Arabia
- 1946 – Company is nationalized and renamed “Misr Air”
- 1960 – Misr Air is renamed “United Arab Airlines”; first long-distance direct flight from Cairo to London
- 1971 – “EgyptAir” is decided on as the international name for the company
- 2005 – E-tickets introduced
- 2007 – EgyptAir Express is established
- 2008 – Became an official member of the Star Alliance Group, the first Arab airline to do so
- Today – EgyptAir flies to 79 international destinations and 12 local cities, with over 1500 weekly flights. The newest fleet of airplanes can carry more than 300 passengers. A big change from the original 4!
Pingback: R is for Ras Mohamed…from above! « Escapade through Egypt