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.jpg) Nile AirAirbus A320-214 | |||||||
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| Founded | 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | March 2011 | ||||||
| Hubs | Cairo International Airport | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Borg El Arab Airport[citation needed] | ||||||
| Fleet size | 5 | ||||||
| Destinations | 23 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Cairo,Egypt | ||||||
| Website | nileair | ||||||
Nile Air (Arabic:النيل للطيران) is an Egyptian airline based atCairo International Airport that operates scheduled services to destinations inEgypt and theMiddle East, thePersian Gulf,Southern Europe,Asia andAfrica. Nile Air is the largest privateairline in Egypt and second only toEgyptair. It is a full-service carrier (with business and economy class services) that operates scheduled services,[1] using a fleet ofAirbus A320-200s &Airbus A321-200s. In addition to operations from its hub atCairo International Airport, the airline operates a smaller base from Alexandria'sBorg El Arab Airport[citation needed].
On 1 November 2009, the airline received itsAir operator's certificate (AOC) from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, which permitted the airline to launch operations. The airline had ordered nine Airbus A321-200 aircraft in 2007,[2] however in 2015 this order was adjusted to two aircraft. It launched operations in August 2010, operating a short-termwet lease contract withLibyan Arab Airlines, before starting scheduled services fromEgypt in March 2011,[1] with the launch of flights toSaudi Arabia.
In January 2011, the airline became the first private Egyptian airline to publish its schedule and flight availability on theGlobal Distribution System (GDS) and is now covered on all 3 GDS systems;Amadeus,Sabre Corporation &Travelport.[citation needed]
Also in 2016, the airline became the first airline in the Middle East to use Amadeus’ complete Airline IT portfolio, which provides end-to-end IT solutions.[3] In June 2016, Nile Air and Lila Design worked together on the Nile Air A320 special 'Egypt Tourism' livery which was unveiled on an Airbus A320 (SU-BQM).
In 2017, the airline became the official airline of theEgypt national football team - the first deal of its kind. In addition, the airline is among the main sponsors of the team.[4]
In 2023, the airline wet leased theSudan Airways A320 which is banned by the EU, to fly regional and domestic flights under Nile Air flight numbers.[citation needed]
Nile Air is an Egyptian Joint Stock Company established in 2008, with 60% ownership by Egyptian individuals & companies and the remaining 40% by Dr.Nasser Al Tayyar, former President of Al Tayyar Group (now called Seera[5]), a prominent travel agency based in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with operations in over 15 countries.[1] Nile Air is shown in the accounts of the Al Tayyar Travel Holding Company as a 'related company'.[6]
There have been several press reports in recent years that the airline was looking to go public on theEgyptian Stock Exchange, with as much as 30% of the carrier's stock being offered to Egyptian investors, with the owner and founder Nasser Al Tayyar retaining a 40% stake.[7]
Nile Air is a private company, and annual reports are not published. In the absence of these, limited information on financial trends especially, is available. Available figures are shown below (for years ending 31 December):
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | n/a | |||||
| Profits | n/a | |||||
| Number of employees | 665 | 762 | 770 | |||
| Number of passengers (m) | 0.35 | 0.93 | 1.36 | 1.04 | ||
| Passenger load factor (%) | 66.9 | 68.5 | 70 | |||
| Number of aircraft (at year end) | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Notes/sources | [8] | [8] | [9] | [10] | [11] |
The airline's head office is located opposite Cairo International Airport's Terminal 1 inCairo, Egypt.
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As of April 2025, Nile Air serves the following destinations with scheduled services:[12]
As of August 2025[update], Nile Air operates the following aircraft:[16]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A320-200 | 3 | — | 8 | 156 | 164 | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 2 | — | 196 | 204 | ||
| Airbus A321neo | — | 2[17] | Aircraft deliveries in 2026 | |||
| Airbus A321XLR | — | 4 | ||||
| Total | 5 | 6 | ||||
In 2017, the airline became the official airline of the Egypt national fotball team-the first deal of its kind. In addition, the airline is among the main sponsors of the team.
Media related toNile Air at Wikimedia Commons
