Air Cairo launches direct flights to Istanbul

Egyptian airline Air Cairo on Thursday launched direct flights from Cairo to Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Türkiye's second-busiest airport located in the Anatolian part of the bi-continental city.

The flight's arrival in Istanbul was greeted with a water cannon salute, a traditional sign of respect or appreciation in the aviation industry, according to a statement issued by Sabiha Gökçen Airport authorities.

Reciprocal flights between Cairo and Istanbul will operate twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, using an Embraer E-190 LR with a seating capacity of 109.

The airline plans to increase the flight frequency to five times a week in the coming period.

Air Cairo becomes the fifth airline to operate between Cairo and Istanbul, and it is expected to carry 13,000 passengers on this route for the rest of the year.

Kerem Maybek, the airport's acting CEO, said the visa-on-arrival facility implemented for Turkish citizens last year has strengthened ties between Egypt and Türkiye.

The number of passengers flying to Egypt surged 57% year-on-year to 35,055 in April, said Maybek.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport provides access to 164 destinations across 52 countries, with 40 domestic and 124 international connections.