$330,000 Paid for German Airline's November Flights Under Aviation Incentive Program, December Payouts Underway

Tourism Promotion Authority Deputy Chairman: I Urge Airlines to Submit Their Flight Files Quickly

By Akram Medhat

Maj. Gen. Ahmed Hamdy, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, revealed that $330,000 has been paid to the Egyptian Airports Company on behalf of a German airline under the aviation incentive program, for its flights last November, when the new incentive system began, in return for operating 55 flights to Hurghada and Marsa Alam airports.

Hamdy told "Travel Yalla News" that a Ukrainian airline has also submitted its statement of November flights, and the review of its file is being completed so that the incentive amount can be paid within days.

He added that the amounts due for flights operated last December are set to be approved, so that it can be completed quickly and the files submitted by airlines to the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority for the remaining months can then be examined in turn, according to a timetable for finishing them before the program ends on October 31, 2017.

Hamdy noted that for December, airlines from several major tourism markets have applied, namely Germany, Ukraine, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The deputy chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority urged airlines to quickly submit their flight files for November and December 2016, so that their dues can be paid to the Egyptian Airports Company and deducted from the amounts they are required to pay in aircraft fees.

Hamdy explained that the procedures for paying airlines' dues are simple and take about 10 days, requiring only a general flight statement certified by the Passports Authority at the aircraft's arrival airport. Its most important information is the number of passengers and the load factor, according to the incentive system agreed with the airline, whether regular low-cost, mixed between the former and charter, or charter only, each of which has specific incentive amounts based on the number of flights and the aircraft's load factor. The program covers 9 tourist airports.

Hamdy pointed out that the incentive program for charter flights to Sharm El-Sheikh has been amended to require a load factor of 60% instead of 80%, and the incentive amount has been raised to $3,000 instead of $2,000, with the new amendment applying to flights arriving in the city since last June 22.

The following are the details of the aviation incentive program in effect from November 1, 2016 until October 31, 2017: