EgyptAir's Yehia Zakaria and Airbus sales chief Christian Scherer announce the A350 order on the second day of Dubai Airshow.
DUBAI—In support of its expansion plans, EgyptAir ordered 10 Airbus A350-900s on the second day of the Dubai Airshow to complement a lease deal for Boeing 737 MAX announced a day prior.
Deliveries of the A350 are expected to begin in 2025 and continue through 2027. In selecting the model, Chairman and CEO Yehia Zakaria said he had considered the timing of deliveries to support the ramp up of fleet and network.
“We have to do something very fast, that’s why we picked Airbus A350,” Zakaria said when he announced the order Nov. 14.
The aircraft will be funded by EgyptAir, noted its CEO, and are not intended to replace existing Airbus A330s but rather augment, as it plans to serve 100 destinations by 2028. Among the routes it is considering is a Shanghai-Los Angeles service.
EgyptAir currently operates an in-service fleet of 60 aircraft, a number it projects to grow to 125 in five years.
Zakaria said, “We will add more according to the financial plans and the strategic plans.”
Leases 18 Boeing 737-8s To Aid Expansion Plans
The A350 order is the second new aircraft announcement for EgyptAir at Dubai Airshow 2023. The flag-carrier announced a lease agreement with Air Lease Corp. for 18 Boeing 737-8s on the first day.
Deliveries of the new MAX aircraft are also expected to begin in 2025.
“I think the 737 MAX will be a wonderful addition since today the biggest part of your fleet is 737-800s,” Air Lease Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy said. “This is a natural progression to the next generation.”
“Like Mr. Trump said, ‘Make America Great Again,’ we would like to make EgyptAir ‘great again,’” quipped Zakaria.
