Air Cairo has started flights to Sabiha Gökçen Airport
The Egypt-based airline Air Cairo has made its inaugural flight to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Ranked among the top 10 busiest airports in Europe, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport continues to expand its global network by connecting Istanbul to new routes from the world's tourism centers. As part of a new partnership, Air Cairo completed its first flight to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (ISG) on June 6, 2024. The first Air Cairo flight was welcomed with a water salute ceremony, and passengers were greeted with flowers and chocolates at the terminal.
Air Cairo will operate flights from Cairo (CAI) to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, using the Embraer E-190 LR with a capacity of 109 seats. The airline aims to increase the frequency of flights to five times a week in the near future. Air Cairo joins Pegasus and Ajet's Cairo-Sphinx (SPX) route, as well as Nile Air and Air Arabia Egypt from Cairo (CAI), becoming the fifth airline to operate on the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen - Cairo route. This new international service is expected to contribute an additional 13,000 passengers to the airport for the remainder of the year.
The Air Cairo CAI route will strengthen the ties between Cairo, a city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, and another magical city known for its rich history and culture, Istanbul. This will make it easier and more comfortable to reach Cairo's tourist attractions such as the Cairo Museum, the Pyramids area, and the Nile River surroundings from Sabiha Gökçen.
"Egypt's visa-on-arrival policy increased passenger numbers by 57%"
Regarding the partnership with Air Cairo, acting CEO of ISG Kerem Maybek stated, "Last year, under the strategic cooperation agreement between Turkey and Egypt, the visa-on-arrival facility granted to Turkish citizens strengthened relations between the two countries. This visa-on-arrival policy led to a significant increase in flights from our airport to Egypt, with the number of monthly passengers to Egypt rising by 57% from 35,000 in April 2023 to 55,000 in April 2024. We aim to further increase these numbers with our eighth route to Egypt, in collaboration with Air Cairo. As Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, we are proud to strengthen the strategic connections between the two countries."
Known as the 'City Airport' due to its variety of transportation options and proximity to central areas, Sabiha Gökçen Airport provides comfortable access to 164 destinations in 52 countries, with 40 domestic and 124 international routes.