Sameh Hefny, chairman of EgyptAir Holding, said the airline flew 349,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on 1,925 flights from the beginning of this year’s Umra season until the end of April.
The flights took off from Cairo International Airport, Borg al-Arab Airport in Alexandria and Luxor International Airport.
“We were operating at high rates in April,” he said, adding that 76,500 pilgrims went to Jeddah and Medina on 442 flights, an average of 14 flights per day.
Hisham al-Nahas, chairman of the airline, said 1,510 flights took off from Cairo Airport to Jeddah and Medina, carrying 299,500 pilgrims. He said that 363 flights took off from Borg al-Arab Airport with 43,000 pilgrims and that 52 flights took off from Luxor International Airport carrying 6,500 pilgrims.
“Our seating capacity during that period was 434,000, which was 20 percent more than the actual number of passengers,” he explained.
“We are preparing for the Ramadan Umra when outgoing and incoming flights increase,” he said. “But this would not affect flights to other destinations.”
He expected 97,000 pilgrims in Ramadan on board 465 flights, including 70,000 pilgrims on board 336 flights to Jeddah and 27,000 pilgrims on board 129 flights to Medina.
He also said that the Health Ministry did not give any directives regarding the Coronavirus. “This has not affected bookings,” he said.
“The cabin crew is trained to isolate passengers suspected with the virus and send them to quarantine,” he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
