São Paulo – One more Arab airline may start flying to Brazil. Apart from Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, which already fly regularly to the country, Egyptair is negotiating its entry into the market with direct flights between Cairo and Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo. Negotiations are conducted by CVC in Brazil and by its partner travel company in Cairo, Watania Tours.
The talks between CVC and Watania Tours for establishment of the flight began during a workshop promoted by the Brazilian company in February, but were suspended, according to Watania Tours, due to the protests in Egypt, that culminated in the resignation of president Hosni Mubarak. The talks were returned in March.
According to the Watania deputy manager in Cairo, Ahmed Hussein, the proposal is for the first flights to take place every 15 days starting in the first half of this year. "Then, there would be weekly flights, or even flights twice a week," said Ahmed. The Cairo-São Paulo route should be in an Airbus A340, with capacity for 260 passengers.
The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), however, has no record of requests for authorisation for the flight by Egyptair. Egypt and Brazil, however, have already signed an air agreement, which is in place, and allows the opening of routes. CVC only said that negotiations are underway for the establishment of a new international route.
Watania Tours works on the reception of passengers in Cairo. It is the company that receives the Brazilians in Egypt. To get to Cairo, CVC tourists have two options: fly Emirates, with a connection in Dubai and then to Cairo, or fly Qatar Airways, with a connection in Doha and then to the Egyptian capital. Another option for those flying from Brazil is a connection at a European airport.
According to CVC, there is great demand for packages to Egypt, especially by tourists who already know the most famous destinations and want to visit Arab nations.
Egyptair said it is analysing the possibility of flying to Brazil, which is classified as a "potential destination", but added that no flight should be inaugurated to the country in less than one year. The company recalls that it has a partnership with the Portuguese TAP and that it is a member of the Star Alliance, a group that includes other airlines, like the Brazilian TAM and the German Lufthansa. Egyptair said that when it decides to fly to Brazil, São Paulo will probably be the destination.
*Translated by Mark Ament
