JEDDAH, 11 August 2007 — Alexandria Airlines has been launched as the first private carrier in the history of air travel between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Its first Boeing 737 flight landed at King Abdul Aziz International Airport here with 140 passengers on board over the weekend. The new airline has a schedule of four weekly flights between the King Abdul Aziz International and Alexandria airports.
“Alexandria Airlines is the first private Egyptian aviation company to obtain approval from the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation,” Fareed Al-Deaji, executive manager at Al-Balagha for Travel and Tourism, the local agent for Alexandria Airlines, told Arab News. The airline includes Boeing 737, Airbus and other aircraft.
He added that flights would be scheduled every Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
“The next step will be to enable flights between Alexandria and other cities such as Riyadh and Dammam,” he added. “This is part of the company’s plans to expand to other Gulf destinations including Jordan, Kuwait and Syria.”
Al-Deaji said Alexandria Airlines, established last year, would be operating two daily flights starting from mid-August to mid-October. These flights, flying between Alexandria and Jeddah will also transport Umrah pilgrims as well as other travelers.
According to Al-Deaji, the summer launch of the airline between Alexandria and Jeddah comes at a time when air travel reaches a peak, especially that Egypt has remained the first destination for Saudi travelers. “This year has witnessed a 20 percent increase in comparison to the previous year for Saudi tourists traveling to Egypt,” he said. The airline has been closely monitoring matters such as reservation procedures, departure timings, and is adamant to offer the best services in order to win the confidence of travelers.
Alexandria Airlines’ fares are competitive with cost being almost 50 percent less than others and with reservations accessible telephonically and electronically.
Al-Deaji also stated that the number of travelers between the two regions was estimated to be more than 10 million annually. This would include Haj and Umrah pilgrims, tourists and workers. “The agreement between the two countries to approve this development is an encouragement for further travel between them.”
