EGYPTAIR News 12 June

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EgyptAir Operates Two New Routes to Manchester, Delhi

EgyptAir announced that it will operate its newest routes to Manchester, starting July, and Delhi, starting August.

These new flights represent additional points of expansion for EgyptAir's network in Asia and Europe and serve new customers of the company around the world.

It is planned that the company will operate 5 weekly flights to Manchester, England, starting from next July 15. As for the Delhi line in India, the company is scheduled to operate 4 weekly flights, starting August.

Ethiopian chairman in shock departure

Girma Wake - recognised as the “father of the African aviation industry” is understood to have resigned his position as Ethiopian Airlines board chair. he reasons behind the shock departure have not yet been revealed, but it was confirmed that the renowned personality has resigned from his post as board chairman of Ethiopian Airlines.

Ato Girma Wake joined the Ethiopian Airlines board in 2018 and became board chairman in April 2022 when Mesfin Tasew appointed as group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines replacing Tewolde Gebremariam.

Wake has been credited with being the driver that put Ethiopian on the path to become the continents largest carrier and a group that competes with major airlines around the world.

He served as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to January 2011. In total he served the airline for more than 30 years. Wake also served as the board chairman of Rwanda Air and adviser to the Minister of Transport in Rwanda

Girma Wake - recognised as the “father of the African aviation industry” is understood to have resigned his position as Ethiopian Airlines board chair. he reasons behind the shock departure have not yet been revealed, but it was confirmed that the renowned personality has resigned from his post as board chairman of Ethiopian Airlines.

Ato Girma Wake joined the Ethiopian Airlines board in 2018 and became board chairman in April 2022 when Mesfin Tasew appointed as group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines replacing Tewolde Gebremariam.

Wake has been credited with being the driver that put Ethiopian on the path to become the continents largest carrier and a group that competes with major airlines around the world.

He served as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to January 2011. In total he served the airline for more than 30 years. Wake also served as the board chairman of Rwanda Air and adviser to the Minister of Transport in Rwanda. He was also adviser to the Togolese President on aviation matters.

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Wake who has more than 50 years of experience is an icon in the Africa aviation industry. By some he is referred as the “Father of African Aviation”.

Prior to returning to Africa, Wake had also served Gulf Air and DHL in the Middle East. Wake has a revered reputation as a “straight talker” and while supportive of governments’ support for the airline business, he strongly opposed government interference in the running of the airlines.

Aircraft used for Nigeria Air launch was Ethiopian Airlines’ marketing strategy – Sirika

Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation says the controversial launch of Nigeria Air and the aircraft used for the launch was part of the marketing strategies Ethiopian Airlines deployed to showcase the airline.

Sirika who had disclosed this on Arise TV/Thisdaylive on Sunday said Ethiopian Airlines which owns 49 percent of the airline shares did not want to wait till they are issued Airline Operating Certificate )AOC( before the launch of the airline takes place. He said aircraft used for the launch and the decision to carry out the launch a day before the handover was solely the decision of the owners of the airline, especially Ethiopian Airlines.

He explained that Nigeria Air is 95 percent private sector driven with 49 percent shares owned by Ethiopian Airlines, 15 percent owned by SAHCO, 31 percent owned by others and just five percent owned by the federal government. He said if the new government decides that it is no longer interested in running the airline, that will just be five percent, 95 percent of the airline will continue.

He said there is no stopping of the national carrier, adding that if any shareholder decides to pull out, others will continue.

He said Ethiopian Airlines will be investing 49 percent of 200 million dollars into the project as the main investor.

“The Unveiling of Nigeria Air was done by the owners of the airline and not the federal government. The owners led by Ethiopian Airlines will be ready to fly when the AOC is ready. The unveiling of Nigeria Air was just to showcase the brand,” Sirika said. He said Ethiopian Airlines is permitted by law to operate into Nigeria as scheduled flight, chartered flight or cargo flight.

The former minister said Ethiopian Airlines chose to operate Nigeria Air as charted flight and government did not pay any money for them to bring in the aircraft or brand the aircraft.

“Government did not pay any money for Ethiopian Airlines to bring in the aircraft. It is the airline’s marketing strategy as a partner. No penny was paid to Ethiopian airlines. There is no iota of truth in reports indicating that federal government paid money to bring in the aircraft.

“Ethiopian Airlines took back the aircraft after the unveil since the AOC is not ready. Ethiopian Airlines are masters at the game. They will not keep an aircraft on ground to be accumulating debts. So, when the AOC is ready, the airline would be ready to fly,” Sirika explained.

Speaking on the court issue with Airline Operators of Nigeria, )AON(, Sirika said he is aware there is a court order and a motion to vacate the court order. He said there were plans that when Nigeria Air starts to operate, it would be given tax incentives in a bid to contribute maximally to the country’s Gross Domestic Product but this has been reviewed and there would no longer be any tax incentive given to the airline and the airline will be treated like every other airline.

On not carrying stakeholders along in the project, Sirika said this was not true as the airline was advertised during the documentation stage and airline operators participated in business conferences on airline.

“People bided and even asked for extension of time and some people won. We held six stakeholders meeting where we discussed Nigeria Air project. We discussed our business case. The bidding was transparently carried out. Every single stakeholder was carried along in the process,” he said.

Sirika during the live interview hinted that the against data by the National Bureau of Statistics )NBS( and Compilation of Budgetary Allocations alleging that N85 billion was spent on the national carrier in eight years, he said less than three billion has been spent so far.

“Between 2016 to 2023, all the money that was approved was five billion naira and only three billion naira was released and not all has been spent. The money spent so far was spent on transaction advisory, salaries, office in Abuja, consultancy and Air Operating Certificate )AOC( processes,” he said.

Top 5: Turkey's Busiest International Air Routes

Late last month, Turkish Airlines celebrated its 90th anniversary, highlighting its incredible growth, network expansion, and contribution to the Turkish aviation industry. The recent developments of smaller carriers such as Pegasus, SunExpress, and Corendon Airlines have also contributed to allowing Turkey to become better connected. With several airlines hard at work flying various routes, strengthening flight connections, and numerous international airports housing millions of passengers every year, Turkey has undoubtedly grown in taking the central stage within global aviation. But among the many connections, what are Turkey's busiest international air routes?

British Airways Boeing 747 BOAC Livery to Be Scrapped

It is understood that the British Airways Boeing 747 in the special BOAC retro livery is set to be scrapped due to a lack of funding for pending visitor access. The specific airframe itself is G-BYGC and was the final 747 to fly on December 11, 2020, before being sent to St Athan for storage pending such visiting capabilities. As per data from Planespotters.net, G-BYGC was delivered to the airline in January 1999.

In 2022, to celebrate the heritage of the airline, it was painted in the old-school BOAC livery that the carrier used to sport decades ago.

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in the UK, the jet with British Airways was withdrawn from use and stored in both London Heathrow & Cardiff as it wasn’t needed due to the drop in capacity.

Following its time in storage in Cardiff, the jet was then sent to St Athan to be preserved, but the decision now has taken place for it to be scrapped.

BOAC was a big part of the British Airways identity, having operated under that guise from 1940 until 1974 before it ultimately became the airline we know today. Within that 34 years of flight, air travel was revolutionized, including the introduction of the jet age, which transformed the way people fly, and even today, that remains to be the case.

Ultimately, it is a shame that this jet will now be scrapped, as preservation of such history like this should include aircraft like this.

For now, all eyes will be on the aircraft’s final days in physical form, before it is then destroyed by those in St Athan.

Preparation by Public Relations