CAIRO: One of the five Canadian Q400 aircrafts will arrive to Cairo International Airport this Sunday. The Egyptian Smart Aviation Company signed contracts with the Bombadier, a Canadian company, to purchase five of the Q400 airliners. The decision to purchase the aircraft came from internal discussions at Smart Aviation in response to citizens' demands for more accessible travel options to coastal and tourist cities, said Lutfi Mustafa Kamal, the Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation. “The company will provide flights for one-day tourism to such cities,” Kamal added. “The airline tickets will be lower than other aviation companies by as much as 25 to 30 percent” he said. The minister also said that he will hold a meeting with the CEOs from EgyptAir, Express and Smart to discuss how to meet passengers' demands in the future. The new Canadian Q400 aircrafts have the ability to land on unpaved runways and stop in short distances. The baggage storage area is also as much as 13 percent larger than competing aircrafts. “The Q400s are also eco-friendly,” said Wael al-Maadawy. “The aircraft will be operating domestic and regional flights in October,” al-Maadawy said, adding that the other aircrafts will arrive in early October and will be put into service immediately.
