The first flights launched on 14 May 1951 with two flights a week; 32 weekly flights to Cairo are currently operated
In light of the cooperation and strategic partnership between Egypt and Türkiye, and to support the growth of air traffic and tourism between the two countries, Minister of Civil Aviation Dr. Captain Sameh El Hefny took part in the celebration organized by Turkish Airlines to mark 75 years since the launch of its first flights to Cairo, in the presence of Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen, Ambassador of Türkiye to Egypt, Magdy Ishak, Chairman of Cairo Airport Company, and Mohamed Hamza, Regional Manager of Turkish Airlines.
The occasion comes amid the notable development in Egyptian-Turkish relations recently, reflecting continuous coordination and a shared will to expand areas of cooperation, especially in air transport, tourism and investment, as key pillars for supporting regional integration and achieving sustainable development.
In this context, Dr. Sameh El Hefny congratulated Turkish Airlines on this important historic milestone, which reflects a long journey of constructive cooperation between the two sides, stressing that the Turkish national carrier's continued operation in the Egyptian market for more than 7 decades is clear testimony to the strength of bilateral relations and mutual confidence in growth and expansion opportunities.
The Minister of Civil Aviation stressed that the celebration sends a positive message reflecting the depth of the historic and strategic relations between Egypt and Türkiye, especially given their notable development at the current stage, opening wider horizons for more distinctive partnerships in civil aviation and boosting opportunities to expand operations and exchange expertise in the common economic interests of the two countries.
He added that the civil aviation sector is one of the vital tracks supporting Egyptian-Turkish relations, given the opportunities it offers to boost tourism and trade, noting that the Ministry of Civil Aviation attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with international airlines, based on the Egyptian state's vision to attract more air traffic and expand connectivity with regional and international markets, helping to consolidate Egypt's position as a pivotal civil aviation hub in the region.
For his part, Turkish Ambassador in Cairo Salih Mutlu Şen expressed his pride in the occasion, stressing that Turkish Airlines' continued presence in the Egyptian market over all these years reflects the strength and solidity of relations between the two countries and demonstrates the great confidence in the Egyptian market as one of the most important strategic markets for the Turkish national carrier in the region.
The Turkish Ambassador added that Turkish Airlines has seen notable growth in the Egyptian market since launching its first flights to Cairo on 14 May 1951 with two flights a week, now reaching around 32 weekly flights from Cairo, in addition to a daily flight to more than one tourist destination in Egypt, reflecting growing travel demand between the two countries.
For his part, Magdy Ishak, Chairman of Cairo Airport Company, stressed that Cairo International Airport continues to provide all forms of operational and technical support and facilities to all operating airlines, praising the long partnership with Turkish Airlines as a successful model of fruitful cooperation in air transport, adding that the continued growth of flights between Egypt and Türkiye reflects Cairo International Airport's advanced regional position and its ability to absorb the continuous increase in operations.
