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Manchester-Cairo flight path to strengthen Northern gateway

Manchester Airport has announced a new flight path direct to Cairo, with five flights per week to the Egyptian capital.

EgyptAir started its first non-stop flight between the Northern gateway and Cairo earlier in June, making Manchester its 81st destination.

The airport group’s foothold as the North of England’s portal to the international business community will be strengthened by this new route.

Current social and political unrest in Egypt also means improved links will be welcomed by the UK Government, whose aim it is to assist the country in rebuilding itself as a democratic state.

Cairo is the largest city in Africa and the Middle East and has a population of around 7m people, while key sectors in the country include education and training, engineering, oil and gas and ICT.

Ken O’Toole, chief commercial officer for Manchester Airport Group and owner of the airport, commented: “Cairo is a welcome addition to our global flight network as it further eliminates the need for people in the North to have to fly from London instead of closer to home, from Manchester, the North’s major long-haul airport.

“EgyptAir’s new service will provide direct access to this major business and visitor city, as well providing key connections across Africa and the Middle East.”

Captain Roshdy Zakaria, EgyptAir’s chairman and chief executive, said: “The UK is one of the most important markets in our network and the addition of this new service establishes EgyptAir as the only carrier to operate direct between Manchester and Cairo.

“Cairo is the northern gateway to Africa and our customers in the UK and beyond have convenient access to more than 18 African destinations, in addition to code-share flights to six further destinations, such as Lusaka, Mauritius, Cape Town and Kigali.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .