Written by: Suhaib Shams
Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, confirmed that the aviation sector in Egypt aims to increase the capacity of airports to more than 122 million passengers annually by 2030. This target comes in comparison to about 73 million passengers currently, as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at developing infrastructure, maximizing the utilization of available assets, and supporting the tourism sector.
These statements were made during the Minister's participation in a session of the Egypt Forum, where he reviewed the country's ambitious plans to modernize the air transport system, the fleets of national airlines, and the development of the entire air transport network. He explained that efforts made in recent years have included the development of major airports, including Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Alexandria, Alamein, St. Catherine, and Arish, in addition to the operation of new airports such as Sphinx, the New Capital, Berenice, and Bardawil.
Future expansion plans and new airports
El-Hefny indicated that upcoming projects include development and modernization works at the Alamein, Sphinx, and New Capital airports, which contributes to adding about 12 million passengers annually to the total capacity of Egyptian airports. These expansions aim to keep pace with expected growth rates in inbound tourism and support comprehensive economic development plans in various governorates and promising regions.
Offering airports to the private sector
Regarding the management and operation of facilities, the Minister of Civil Aviation revealed the trend towards offering 11 airports to the private sector for investment, management, and operation, with the exception of Cairo International Airport from this step. He explained that Hurghada International Airport is considered the pilot project for this experiment, as the pre-qualification phase for the concerned investment alliances has been completed.
El-Hefny stressed that Egyptian airports remain sovereign assets fully owned by the state and are not for sale. He confirmed that private sector participation aims to attract foreign direct investment, transfer modern technical and administrative knowledge, as well as alleviate financial burdens on the state's general budget while ensuring the full rights of workers in the sector.
