Government officials are weighing the cost effectiveness of banning liquor sales at Egyptian airports and closing the Cairo International Airport at night, said Civil Aviation Minister Wael al-Maddawy at a news conference.
Officials will attempt to guage the projected loss of income if these measures are adopted, and the impact they would have on revenues and customs. The minister claimed airport workers, particularly those employed in duty-free shops, were demanding the ban.
When asked about the possible closure of the Cairo airport at night, Maddawy said, “This matter is still being examined, and we have not made a decision on it yet.” Nighttime closures would not be implemented if it would interfere with flight schedules, he added.
Tawfiq Assy, chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company, said in a press statement on Sunday that the company’s losses over the past two years have totaled LE5.3 billion due to the decline in tourism and the rise of the dollar and fuel costs.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
