Five airline companies operating out of Cairo International Airport canceled their flights Wednesday due to an absence of passengers, airport sources said.
Passengers were notified of the decision.
The sources said passenger booking rates differ from time to time. Given the current state of instability in Egypt, rates can be high on some days and low on others, they added.
Civil Aviation Minister Hussein Massoud told the People’s Assembly Sunday that air traffic in Egypt has been negatively affected by consecutive events harmful to security since the 25 January uprising broke out early last year, which has become clear considering the decreased number of passengers. However, Massoud expressed his hope that the situation would improve in the coming months.
Massoud said he expects air traffic to return to pre-revolution rates, predicting that by 2014, some 82 million passengers will arrive annually from 23 international airports and regional hubs affiliated with the Egypt Airports Company.
He also said that air traffic is always affected by political developments. Some countries have imposed bans on traveling to Egypt, like Japan, from which Egypt used to receive many passengers, he added.
