Friday April 4, 2008 EgyptAir Chairman Atef Abdel Hamid said the carrier's effort to meet the requirements for Star Alliance membership is nearing conclusion and it expects to be ready for a Cairo joining ceremony scheduled for July.
"We still have some challenges to meet the last standards of a Star Alliance member," Hamid told
ATWOnline this week in Istanbul. He said training of certain staff and some minor adaptations to its IT infrastructure are still on the docket but will be completed on schedule.
Other changes are in store as well, including a new brand and livery. "We are in the process to present our new brand very soon on one of our aircraft. No later than May we will show our new colors," he said, adding that the brand will reflect the "spirit of Egypt" and the carrier's effort to make Cairo the principal gateway to Africa and points in the Middle East. "We have to work hard. All this is not a matter of money. This is necessary to present the world a new quality carrier," Hamid said.
MS is in the process of renewing a portion of its narrowbody fleet. Seven older A320s, four A321s and five 737-500s will be replaced. "Which type we buy depends on the deal from the manufacturers," he said
(ATWOnline, Jan. 29).
In partnership with Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa Technik, MS also will endeavor to make Cairo a site for more third-party MRO work, "thanks to our lower costs within EgyptAir Technic compared to Europe and our experienced staff," Hamid said. Three weeks ago, construction started on a new engine shop that will be managed under a joint venture with Rolls.
by Kurt Hofmann