The maiden flight of EgyptAir left Dhaka on Sunday night at 8:30 pm with passengers filling all 309 seats.
“Our inaugural flight, brand-new Boeing 787-9 aircraft having 309-seat with 30 business class left the capital city Dhaka for Egyptian capital Cairo,” Farhad Hossain, executive director and chief operating officer (COO) of Egypt Air Bangladesh office, told UNB.
He said this was the first flight of the regular non-stop Dhaka-Cairo-Dhaka flight operations of the state-owned airline of Egypt.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Md. Mahbub Ali while addressing at the inaugural function on this occasion at the ShahJalal International Airport, said that the start of EgyptAir flight operations in Bangladesh is a milestone in the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.
It will help the tourists who would come to explore the multifaceted Egyptian tourism, he opined.
“As EgyptAir commences, its direct flights between Dhaka and Cairo will offer a great opportunity for different stakeholders intending to visit Egypt, Europe, and North America via Cairo, and would reflect exchanging businesses, cargoes, and also facilitate Bangladeshi students studying in Egyptian universities,” he said.
Farhad Hossain said as per the plan of EgyptAir, the airline will initially operate two weekly flights between Dhaka and Cairo.
The airline will operate flights to and from Dhaka twice weekly on Sunday and Wednesday with brand-new Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Farhad Hossain said that commencing the flights on this route would boost tourism, trade, and business between the two countries.
He also informed that currently the ticket selling system is being conducted in a semi-digital system and travel agents are maintaining direct contact with EgyptAir’s Dhaka office in Safura Tower at 20, Kamal Ataturk Avenue in Banani.
He noted that EgyptAir is arranging different tour packages for passengers who want to visit historic places in the ancient Arab country.
Now, Egypt Air will become the sole operator of nonstop flights between Egypt and Bangladesh in the aviation history of Bangladesh, he added.
Tourism industry insiders said that the launching of bilateral air connectivity between Egypt and Bangladesh will open an immense opportunity in the tourism sector for both the brotherly nations.
District manager of Egypt Air Mostafa Magdy Hussain said that the airline hopes the nonstop service will further boost leisure travel between the two countries and connect traffic through Cairo to the airline's onward destinations, such as the USA, Canada, Middle East, and Africa.
Highlighting his country as the cradle of modern civilization, he said: "Egypt and EgyptAir welcome tourists and passengers from Bangladesh to enjoy the Egyptian hospitality and various cultural heritage.”
Now, Egypt Air will become the sole operator of nonstop flights between Egypt and Bangladesh in the aviation history of Bangladesh, he added.