EgyptAir is Looking to Increase Frequency on Cairo to Delhi Route

The national carrier of Egypt, EgyptAir is looking to increase the frequency on the route between Cairo and Delhi. It is the only airline currently serving commercial flights between India and Egypt. It connects Cairo International Airport to Delhi & Mumbai. In August 2023, it started flights to Delhi and now, it is looking to expand its services.

EgyptAir: Expanding Cairo to Delhi Frequency

In August 2023, EgyptAir launched services between Cairo International Airport (CAI) and Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). This launch coincided with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Egypt. On 4 August 2024, the airline launched four times-a-week flights between both cities.

General Manager of International Relations & Organizations for EgyptAir, Amr Aly said that since the inception of Delhi services, the airline has witnessed a rise in the number of passengers traveling between both countries. Furthermore, EgyptAir is able to source a significant number of connecting passengers from the Indian market. The airline has an extensive network in Africa and Europe, because of which it can provide seamless connections.

Because of the rise in traffic, the airline now intends to increase the frequency of this route from four to seven times a week. It wants to operate daily flights between Cairo and Delhi. This expansion aligns with the country’s aim to develop Cairo as a hub airport.

Currently, EgyptAir flies to two Indian cities. It connects Cairo to Mumbai and Delhi with 5X & 4X weekly flights respectively. On the Mumbai route, the airline uses the Boeing 737-800 fleet, while the Airbus A320neo fleet handles the Delhi operations. Other than passenger services, it also operates dedicated freighter flights to Mumbai Airport. Cargo flights are operated twice weekly with Airbus A330 freighter.

EgyptAir: History in the Indian Market

EgyptAir has a very long history in the Indian aviation market. In 1962, the airline launched flights to Bombay with Comet 4C aircraft. This service was extended to Tokyo in the same year.

In 2007, EgyptAir announced a sixth freedom route from Mumbai, extending the route to Kuala Lumpur. The air service agreement between India and Egypt was renewed in 2014. During the pandemic, the airline operations were suspended. In May 2022, it resumed flights between Cairo and Mumbai with 4X weekly service and later increased it to 5X weekly.

One year later, in August 2023, it launched flights to its second Indian destination in the form of Delhi. It is serving Delhi with its Airbus A320neo fleet. The airline has eight A320neos which it received in 2020. With an average age of 4.2 years, these aircraft are configured with 16 Business and 126 Economy Class seats.

On 7 June, the airline will celebrate its 92nd anniversary. In its celebration, it will launch exciting initiatives such as special fares for its customers.

Why no Indian Carrier Between India & Egypt?

The market between India and Cairo has significant traffic. According to the data available on the website of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a total of 22,427 passengers traveled between India and Cairo between October and December 2023.

This number can increase if any Indian airline starts services between both countries. Both Delhi and Mumbai fall within the 3,000 nautical miles range of Cairo. Hence, an Airbus A320neo or Boeing 737, even with an all-economy configuration can easily operate on this route.

It will be interesting to see whether any Indian airline like IndiGo or Air India Express starts services between both countries. TATA Group’s mainline carrier, Air India has a codeshare agreement with Egyptair. Both airlines codeshare on the following routes:

• From Mumbai: Cairo
• From Delhi: Cairo
• From Cairo: Mumbai, Delhi, Sohag, Luxor, Hurghada, Aswan & Sharm-el-Sheikh

This way, Air India utilizes the network of Egyptair to provide more choices to passengers traveling to Africa.

Conclusion: Egyptair Cairo to Delhi Expansion

Egyptair is looking to increase flights between India and Egypt. The airline is aiming to increase flights to Delhi from the current four to seven times a week. With this, it will be operating 12 times a week in India. A significant rise in traffic has pushed the airline to make this decision. The airline is expected to announce the expansion in the coming days.

Do you think any Indian airline will start flights to India? Discuss in the comment section.