Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation Dr. Sameh El Hefny witnessed the signing of a "CO2 Connect" agreement between EgyptAir Holding Company and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the sidelines of the El Alamein International Aerospace Show (EIAS 2026). The step reflects the civil aviation sector's drive to expand the application of international practices and standards in environmental sustainability and carbon emissions measurement, keeping pace with the rapid changes in the global air transport industry.
The agreement was signed by Captain Ahmed Adel, Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company, and Kamil Alawadhi, IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, in the presence of Rabab Hamdy Salem, Head of Alliances and International Relations at EgyptAir Holding Company, and Mohamed Lotfy, IATA Area Manager for North Africa and the Levant.
El Hefny said the agreement is an important step in the Egyptian civil aviation sector's commitment to international sustainability standards, using modern tools and methodologies to measure and monitor carbon emissions, supporting more efficient decision-making and strengthening airlines' ability to deal with growing environmental requirements worldwide.
The minister explained that the importance of this step coincides with the continued growth in air traffic, the expansion of Egyptian airports' capacity and related investments, and Egyptian airlines' efforts to raise the efficiency of their fleets and operations. He stressed that keeping pace with this growth requires continued work to improve the environmental and operational efficiency of the air transport system, in line with international trends toward reducing emissions and achieving more sustainable growth.
For his part, Captain Ahmed Adel said signing the CO2 Connect agreement is a practical step for EgyptAir in developing its system for measuring and monitoring the carbon emissions of its flights, using IATA's program and linking emissions data to the Amadeus reservation system, allowing the carbon emissions associated with each flight to be displayed on passengers' tickets.
He added that making this data available gives EgyptAir a more accurate tool for analyzing the environmental performance of its flight operations and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, as well as supporting its ability to meet international environmental requirements and legislation, including European requirements.
Adel noted that the company continues to align its operations with international sustainability standards and practices, supporting its ability to keep up with rapid regulatory and technological changes and enhancing the efficiency of its operations amid the global shift toward a more sustainable aviation industry.
