Sherif Fathy, the Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company, said a contract has been reached recently with BOC Aviation Company, one of the major rental companies of aircraft worldwide, to add eight Boeing B737-800 to the EgyptAir fleet with the operational lease system for 10 years.
Arrangements are underway for signing the contract, he said, adding that the aircraft will be received as of August 2016 and until December 2016. The company is working to provide all potentials and the latest means of entertainment, comfort and luxury on board planes in line with international standards of quality and air safety. Sixteen seats will be prepared for the business class cabin and 144 for the economy class with a total of 160 seats.
He added that this contract is the first phase in the development and modernization of EgyptAir fleet plan until 2025 to replace eight Airbus A320-200 aircraft.
Fathi also said the company continues its march towards development in cooperation with Sabre and in conformity with the directives of the current government, which aim mainly to rebuild EgyptAir to get its position amid the global airlines and become one of the leading companies in the Middle East and Africa. It is a long-term 10-year plan, he said.
“Our goal is to achieve profitability but ambitiously and systematically so as not to conflict with the company’s long-term goals,” he said. “The phase of collecting and analyzing data has already been completed and recommendations have been issued for the implementation of many changes particularly in the trade field to increase revenues and make other modifications in the company’s routes network.”
He explained that there are many aspects the development plan is based on, mainly the human element through investment and training using advanced courses. There are short-term goals that are being implemented including the introduction of new planes to replace eight old ones, he said, pointing out to negotiations with a number of aircraft manufacturers to have eight new aircraft join the company’s fleet in the second half of 2016, which would have a positive impact on the company.
