AlMasria Universal Airlines (UJ, Cairo International) has taken delivery of its maiden widebody jet, A330-200 SU-TCH (msn 661), on lease from CDB Aviation. The former EVA Air twinjet was recently positioned to Cairo International where it is currently being prepared for revenue operations, tentatively due to start next month.

Late last year, airline CFO Ahmed Gadallah told African Aerospace the carrier was in talks with GECAS over the acquisition of a second aircraft of the type. The A330's range would allow AlMasria to open up new markets in Asia - India and China in particular.

“We’re looking at these markets at the moment,” he said. “That’s where we see the main opportunities in the market. It’s very difficult to compete with the Gulf area carriers to places like New York, Canada and South America, but in China, there is no competitor. The Gulf airlines are not allowed to fly direct to Egypt, as Open Skies has not been implemented here yet. So services into airports such as Luxor and Aswan in Upper Egypt, with their access to many of the country’s historical sites, are a possibility."

Aside from the A330, AlMasria Airlines also operates two A320-200s, one A321-200, and one B737-500 on scheduled passenger flights spanning Egypt as well as Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Kuwait.