Egypt plans to construct a fourth passenger terminal at Cairo International Airport and has received interest from 68 international companies and consortia to manage and operate Hurghada International Airport, Civil Aviation Minister Sameh El-Hefny said.

Speaking before the House of Representatives’ Tourism and Aviation Committee, El-Hefny said the construction of Terminal 4 is a national project aimed at increasing Cairo airport’s capacity and transforming it into a regional hub through the application of modern technology and operating systems. 

The minister clarified the government’s stance on private sector involvement, stating that Egyptian airports are “sovereign assets and not for sale.” He noted that cooperation with the private sector would be limited to management and commercial activities to improve service efficiency.

Hurghada International Airport will serve as the pilot for this programme, conducted in cooperation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). El-Hefny said 68 global companies and alliances have already collected the terms of reference for the qualification process. The results of the Hurghada experience will be evaluated before being rolled out to other Egyptian airports.

Regarding digital transformation, El-Hefny announced that Egypt has begun phasing out paper arrival and departure cards. The move was implemented at the Seasonal Terminal on Jan 27 and underwent a pilot phase at Terminal 3 from Feb 13 to Feb 17. The system will be expanded gradually across all terminals and Egyptian airports. The ministry is also coordinating with the Ministry of Interior to activate electronic gates (E-Gates) for passengers.

The minister detailed a major expansion for national carrier EgyptAir, which is currently implementing a plan to add 34 new aircraft to its fleet, comprising 16 Airbus A350-900s and 18 Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft. This expansion is expected to bring the total fleet to 97 aircraft by 2030/31. The airline is also upgrading the cabins of 19 Boeing 737-800s and two wide-body Airbus A330-200s.

On the financial front, El-Hefny reported that EgyptAir has achieved record profit rates and has succeeded in reducing losses from previous years by more than 50%. The ministry aims to eliminate these losses entirely over a four-year period.

The ministry’s economic and charter arm, Air Cairo, which currently operates 40 aircraft, is also slated for growth, with a target fleet of 82 aircraft within the next four years to integrate with EgyptAir’s network.

El-Hefny highlighted recent international recognition for EgyptAir, noting its rise to 68th place in the 2025 Skytrax global rankings, up 20 positions from 2024. The airline received awards for Best Economy Class Onboard Catering, Most Improved Airline in Africa for the second consecutive year, and Best Cabin Crew and Airline Staff in Africa.

Additional reforms include a restructuring of Egyptian airspace to redistribute air routes. The minister said this would reduce flight distances and times, leading to lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions while attracting more transit traffic.

El-Hefny also addressed the regulation of hot air ballooning, describing it as a vital promotional tool for tourism that must adhere to the highest safety and security standards.

The parliamentary session, chaired by MP Sahar Talat Mostafa, included discussions on the ministry’s future strategy and responses to briefing requests from committee members regarding infrastructure and service development.

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