Egyptair to convert A330s into freighters for Cargo division

EgyptAir takes first A321neo

EgyptAir Holding has taken delivery of its first A321-200NX, with the ferry flight to Cairo International taking place on February 27.

SU-GFR (msn 11164) is the first of seven A321neo EgyptAir (MS, Cairo International) will take from AerCap, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module. The airline's new-generation narrowbody fleet already comprises eight A320-200Ns, all of which are also leased from AerCap.

The first A321neo is scheduled to enter into commercial service on April 1, plying the daily Cairo International-Amsterdam Schiphol route.

EgyptAir will operate its A321neo with 182 seats, including 16 in dedicated business class.

The airline's fleet also includes twelve A220-300s, three A320-200s, three A330-200s, one A330-200(P2F), four A330-300s, twenty-eight B737-800, one recently redelivered B737-800(SF), six B777-300(ER)s, and six B787-9s.

Editorial Comment: Corrects seat configuration. - 02.03.2023 - 20:26 UTC

Biman Bangladesh officials appear in court on graft charges

Seventeen of 23 current and former officials involved in an aircraft leasing scandal at Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG, Dhaka) appeared before the High Court Division of Bangladesh's Supreme Court on February 8, 2023, to be bailed and ordered to report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for questioning within 21 days.

As recently reported by ch-aviation, the ACC is initiating criminal cases against 23 Biman Bangladesh officials over the lease of two B777-200(ER)s from EgyptAir (MS, Cairo International) last decade. The flawed deal saw the state-owned carrier incur losses of BDT11 billion taka (USD105.2 million dollars).

The ACC's filing alleges that "the defendants premeditatedly colluded and misused their power to defraud to benefit themselves first and then leased two planes from EgyptAir for the dishonest purpose of benefiting others. Later, till re-delivery, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited has committed an offence punishable under s.109/409/420 of the Penal Act and s.5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, by embezzling money." It remains unclear why only 17 of the 23 officials, all named by the...

Corruption body steps up Biman Bangladesh B777-200(ER) probe

Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is moving to prosecute 23 former and current Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG, Dhaka) officials on corruption charges relating to the lease of two B777-200(ER)s from EgyptAir (MS, Cairo International) last decade.

ACC Secretary Mahbub Hossain held a media conference in Dhaka on February 6, 2023, and said the case had been filed with the ACC's integrated district office in Dhaka the previous day. The ACC has the power to investigate public service misconduct and file criminal charges. The 23 officials face prosecution under s.109, s.409, and s.420 of the Penal Code and s.5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The maximum penalty for at least one of the offences (s. 409 of the Penal Code, dealing with breaches of trust by officials) is life imprisonment or a maximum of ten years imprisonment plus a fine. The named individuals include:

• Former director of flight operations Captain Ishrat Ahmed;
• Former deputy chief engineer Shafiqul Alam Siddique;
• Former engineer Shahid Uddin Mohammad Hanif;
• Former chief engineer Debesh Chowdhury;
...

EgyptAir takes redelivery of first B737-800 freighter

EgyptAir (MS, Cairo International) has received back a B737-800 it sent to the US for conversion. SU-GCP (msn 35560) ferried back to Cairo late last week and is now officially a B737-800(SF) and the carrier's first dedicated narrowbody freighter.

ch-aviation had previously reported on the conversion that was undertaken by Florida-based Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI). SU-GCP was retired from passenger operations in March 2022. In September, it was ferried to Miami ahead of the conversion. Three months later, in December 2022, the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority granted the 12-pallet position B737-800SF freighter a type certificate.

The aircraft now offers a main deck payload of up to 23,904 kilograms and incorporates eleven full-height 88” x 125” container positions plus an additional position for an AEP/AEH. The conversion included new floor beams aft of the wing box, and a large 86” x 137” main cargo door with a single vent door system.

SU-GCP, which will fly for Egyptair's cargo subsidiary, EgyptAir Cargo, was ferried from Miami International to Cairo International via...