Analysts say international flights between Cairo and Yanbu will decrease the number of people traveling by ship between the ports of Safaga and Dhuba. Airfares between the two cities are the lowest for any international flight at SR900. Almasria Universal Airlines, based in Cairo, began flight service to Yanbu’s Prince Abdul Mohsen Airport on Thursday with a capacity of 158 passengers. The new flight services are targeted mainly at Egyptian expatriate workers in the Kingdom and Saudi tourists planning to visit Egyptian resorts.
GACA spokesman Khaled bin Abdullah Al-Khaibary said his organization granted a license for one flight per day between the two cities. GACA is the General Authority of Civil Aviation. The number of licenses may be increased depending on the intensity of the traffic. Al-Khaibary said the introduction of flight service between Cairo and Yanbu is part of GACA’s strategy “to attract foreign airline’s and enable Saudi airports to become self-sufficient financially.”
