Egypt’s private airlines call for aviation minister to intervene amid COVID-19 crisis

Egypt’s private airlines companies appealed on Tuesday to the civil Aviation Minister to intervene to stop the losses of the companies amid the coronavirus crisis, according to Reuters.

“The chairmen of the companies called upon the minister of aviation to intervene to stop the bleeding of losses suffered by the private companies and help them overcome this crisis,” a statement posted on the civil aviation ministry Facebook page said.

Minister Mohammad Manar Enabah met on Tuesday with a number of chairmen of boards of directors and representatives of Egyptian private airlines companies to discuss the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the private aviation sector in the light of suspending flights from and to Egypt, the statement added.

Egypt extended last week a suspension of flights for two weeks from April 1. Flights were first suspended on March 19, and had been due to last until the end of March before it was extended.

Flights allowing tourists to return to their countries have been allowed to continue.