Back to normal THE NATIONAL carrier EgyptAir is set to recover from the political unrest in Egypt. The airline made progress towards resume its activities in local and international markets. The carrier this week announced intentions to resume expansion plans of its network, operating a new service to Saudi Arabia's Abha city. Effective from 20 June, the airline is scheduled to operate three flights weekly to Abha. The new service expands EgyptAir network in Saudi Arabia to five destinations; Jeddah, Riyadh, Al-Madinah, Dammam and now Abha. According to Samir Imbaby, area manger, the carrier operates 42 flights weekly to Saudi airports from Cairo and Alexandria. The airline also announced it will operate two new services to the Iraqi capital Baghdad and Arbela city in July. Effective mid June, the affiliated regional airline Express is scheduled to launch new services to a number of Arab and regional airports. According to the airline chairman, Captain Helmi Rizq, this includes Alexandria-Beirut service twice weekly, Sharm El-Sheikh-Jeddah service four flights weekly, and Cairo-Mersa Matrouh on the northern coast twice weekly. Cairo International airport is set to receive the new 67-passenger Boeing 737-800 from Boeing's Seattle base in Washington this week. EgyptAir holding company has nine affiliated companies. The medical branch on Saturday stepped forward to add new facilities; expanding its medical abilities. Aviation minister Ibrahim Mannaa attended the inauguration, which according to chairman Hussein Massoud, was scheduled to take place one day before the political unrest broke out in January. "The hospital serves our 30,000 employees as well as the population in nearby towns," commented Massoud. The LE 34 million expansions included adding four surgery units, a new physiotherapy unit and rehabilitation centre. On Sunday, the airline launched a big project to help tourism recover from the current deteriorated conditions. Under the Slogan of "Let's all see Egypt", EgyptAir unveiled a partnership with the Tourism Authority, the National Bank of Egypt and Mobinil telecommunications. The project consists of offering full travel packages to main tourist destinations in Egypt, including flight tickets and hotel accommodations at low cost fares. "The packages provides four days and three nights stay at three- and four-star hotels and flight tickets starting from LE 1450," explained Massoud. Packages are available in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, Mersa Alam, Mersa Matrouh, Luxor and Aswan. "The project extends from mid June till the end of October," explained Massoud. The airlines and the partners signed a protocol to implement the project under the auspices of both aviation and tourism ministers. The National Bank will use its base of Visa card credit users, covering 10,000 clients, to promote the campaign through two payment packages, allowing payment in cash or on credit. Details of the projects are set to be publicised through the Mobinil, which allocated a special service to its customers to access the project. 'Summer Smiles' DUBAI will be more affordable than ever this summer with the Emirates Airline global "Summer Smiles" campaign. Running until 30 September, the promotion coincides with Dubai's "Global Kids Go Free in Dubai" campaign and Dubai Summer Surprises, when Dubai stores have summer sales. Up to two children under age 12, travelling with an accompanying adult, are eligible to receive complimentary accommodation (minimum three night stay), meals in participating hotels, plus airfare discounted 50 per cent off the adult fare in economy class onboard Emirates airlines flights. Families will have a choice of over 50 hotels and apartments in Dubai, ranging from two- to five-star, with city or beach locations, to meet every family's needs. Also included are the Meet & Assist service at the Dubai airport, airport transfers, free entry to a wide range of attractions, hotel room taxes and service charges. In addition, for guests who require visas to enter Dubai, Emirates will provide complimentary 96 hour visas for up to 2 children under the age of 12. The Summer Smiles package also includes free entrance activities for up to two children under the age of 12 when accompanied by two paying adults at some of Dubai's premiere attractions; including, the Bateaux Dhow Dinner Cruise, the Big Bus Tour, Wild Wadi Water Park, Aquaventure & Lost Chambers at Atlantis, Ski Dubai, Soccer Circus, iFLYDubai indoor skydiving, the Dubai Dolphinarium, and many more. AF-447 tragedy unveiled THE PERSEVERANCE of the authorities, Airbus and Air France has led to the flight recorders and parts of an aircraft being found after a two-year search. The French Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) said last week it was able to reveal the sequence of events leading to the crash of flight AF- 447 from Rio to Paris on 1 June 2009. This description of the facts therefore replaces the assumptions that have been made over the past two years. It appears that the flight deck crew was monitoring the changing weather conditions and thus altered the flight path, that the initial problem was the failure of the speed probes which led to the disconnection of the autopilot and the loss of the associated piloting protection systems, and that the aircraft stalled at a high altitude. All the data collected must now be analysed. It will only be at the end of this complex task, which requires patience and precision that the BEA will be able to establish the causes that led to the disaster.
