FOR EGYPT'S air transport business, 2009 has been a busy year -- more traffic, more services launched, fleet expanded and managements changed. Here is a rundown: 1. EgyptAir took delivery of nine new aircraft, including six Embrair 170 for the domestic airline EgyptAir Express, and three Boeing 737-800 aircraft to serve the international network. 2. To "move under one Roof", Star Alliance member airlines operating from Egypt moved to the new Cairo International terminal building 3 in March, where they currently operate their scheduled flights through 110 check-in counters. 3. United Airlines and Asian Airlines came to code share agreements with the national carrier. 4. Nas Air, the first budget carrier in Saudi Arabia, began operating two regular services from Riyadh and Jeddah to Assuit and Sharm El-Sheikh on 2 July, with five flights weekly. 5. EgyptAir launched six new regional and international services. In Africa, EgyptAir added two new services to Tanzania's Dar Essalam and Nigeria's Abuja. The carrier stepped into Central Asia for the first time, operating a twice weekly service to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Long haul routes were also boosted by operating new direct flights to Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. 6. Lufthansa launched an additional flight to Cairo, operating three times a week non-stop between Munich and Cairo. 7. EgyptAir Express launched three new routes to Malta, Catania and Budapest with three flights weekly. The domestic network also expanded with three new services to Taba in Sinai, Mersa Alam on the Red Sea, and Sharq Al-Owenat in New Valley. 8. Jazeera Airways launched a non-stop service between Kuwait and the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam in June. The service operates twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday. 9. Two strategic partners, Rolls Royce and Lufthansa Technik, launched a joint venture with the national carrier's technical branch, EgyptAir Engineering and Maintenance Company. The new joint venture is for 10 years with shares held equally by EgyptAir and Rolls Royce. The project targets the engine overhaul market in the Middle East. 10. EgyptAir's ground services branch announced an outstanding achievement, being the first in Africa and the fifth in the world to be accredited with the ISAGO certificate. 11. A joint venture with Lufthansa established the new LSG Sky Chefs Catering Egypt. Lufthansa's LSG, Egyptian Aviation Services (EAS) and EgyptAir In-flight-Services have formed a new entity LSG SKY CHEF EGYPT that would dominate the business of catering in Cairo International Airport. The paid-in capital for the new company is $10 million, of which EgyptAir owns 70 per cent. Lufthansa owns 15 per cent, the same share as EAS. 12. A Ukranian cargo plane operated by Aerolift crashed during take-off at Luxot airport. The plane slid off the tarmac and came to rest hundreds of yards from the runway where it was consumed by flames. Five crew members died including two Ukrainians, two from Belarus and one Russian. 13. A Sudanese passenger attempted to hijack an EgyptAir flight from Istanbul to Cairo in October. Onboard security, however, managed to detain the passenger and the plane landed safely in Cairo.
