Egyptian tourism group Travco is preparing to launch a new private airline operating an all-Airbus single-aisle fleet, aiming to connect Europe with Egypt’s main seaside destinations starting next autumn.

According to statements by its CEO, Hamed El Chiaty, the required investment is estimated at around $150 million, with a targeted launch in October or November, subject to the outcome of ongoing certification procedures with the Egyptian civil aviation authorities.

However, the Travco chief executive warned that persistent geopolitical instability and potential jet fuel shortages in Europe, linked to current disruptions in global oil supply chains and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, could impact market conditions and potentially delay the airline’s operational launch.

The new carrier is expected to begin operations with a fleet of three Airbus single-aisle aircraft, offering between 180 and 220 seats (namely A320s and A321s), before scaling up to around ten aircraft in the first year and up to approximately twenty within five years, depending on demand and financing capacity. A fourth aircraft could be added as early as the first year of operations.

The network will primarily target European leisure markets, with flights mainly operated on a charter basis to Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam, and Marsa Matruh airports, as well as to other source markets identified by Travco.