Nesma Airlines plans to increase the number in its fleet up to seven Airbus model aeroplanes by the end of 2017, as well as open five new airlines to Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, the UAE, and Sudan—starting with Kuwait and then the UAE. Nesma's chairperson Ashraf Lamloum said the company increased the number in its fleet to four aeroplanes after it had received the new Airbus 319 at the beginning of last month. The company plans to buy a new aeroplane before the end of 2016, to increase its fleet size to five aeroplanes. He said the new aeroplane will be an Airbus 320 model, but the negotiations for its purchase have not yet begun. Lamloum added that the company operates its fleet through leasing agreements, for a period that varies between five to seven years, after which they will own the aeroplane. Nesma Airlines, a member of Saudi Arabia's Nesma Group, is a flag carrier of two countries, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The company began operating flights in 2010. It has a fleet that consists of four Airbus 320 models, one Airbus 319 model, and ATR72-600 models. The company is currently negotiating with tourism companies to open five new airlines in Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, Bahrain, and Sudan by facilitating charter flights. Lamloum explained that the company held a meeting with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and welcomed the company's expansion plan in the Arab market. He pointed out that the downturn in European tourism has resulted in the company losing 300,000 European tourists to Egypt each year, specifically tourists from Germany, Serbia, Poland, Russia, Italy, and Romania. Lamloum called on the Ministry of Tourism and all the responsible authorities to work to restore tourism as swiftly as possible. He said that the company is currently expanding in the Arab market. Lamloum added that working with the European market possesses some difficulties given the ban on flights some European countries have with Egypt.
