Air Sinai
Template:Short description Template:Infobox airline
Air Sinai (Template:Langx Template:Transliteration) was an airline based in Cairo, Egypt. It operated as a 'paper airline' for parent company Egyptair under a wet lease-like agreement<ref name="FI">Template:Cite news</ref> to serve flights exclusively between Egypt and Israel.
History
The Egypt–Israel peace treaty signed in March 1979 stipulated that there must be active civilian aviation routes between Egypt and Israel. To fulfill the treaty, Air Sinai was established in 1982 to fly scheduled services between Egypt and Israel (on routes previously flown by Nefertiti Aviation), which for political reasons could not be handled by parent company Egyptair.<ref name=obscura>Template:Cite web</ref>
Services started using a Boeing 737-200 leased from Egyptair and new routes from Egypt's tourist destinations followed. By the mid-1980s a Fokker F27 Friendship was also in use on these services. During 1982, a Boeing 707-320C was leased and operated on behalf of Egyptair on their flights to Europe, especially twice weekly from Cairo to Copenhagen.Template:Citation needed
Due to the tense Egypt–Israel relations, the airline operated discreetly: for a long time it had no website, public schedule of flights, markings on planes, signs at the airports, or a way to make online bookings.<ref name=obscura/> Air Sinai ceased airline operations in its own right in 2002 and from then on operated as a 'paper airline' for its parent company, Egyptair, using their aircraft without any markings identifying either carrier, although some aircraft were spotted during this era in Tel Aviv in full Egyptair branding. Flights were not listed in Egyptair schedules and did not appear on their website or route maps either.<ref name="FI"/><ref name=airsinai/> As of 2014, Air Sinai flights were displayed on arrival and departure boards at Cairo Airport using the IATA code 4D. In February 2020, online booking was introduced via a website run by a third-party travel agency based in the United Kingdom.<ref name=obscura/>
On October 3, 2021, Egyptair commenced operating direct flights from Cairo to Tel Aviv under its livery, bringing an end to the Air Sinai era.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Destinations
Until 2021, Air Sinai served the following destinations on behalf of Egyptair.<ref name=airsinai>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Egypt
- Israel
Fleet
Due to the nature of its operations, Air Sinai used two unmarked Airbus A220 aircraft, SU-GFA & SU-GFD owned by Egyptair to operate its flights. Other types, including larger aircraft were also used based on operational requirements, with Egyptair markings then being removed. On some occasions, Egyptair branded aircraft have also been utilised.Template:Citation needed
In September 2019, it was announced the airline would replace Embraer 170 operations with Airbus A220 aircraft operated by Egyptair from 1 March 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2019, the first Airbus A220 flight was moved forward to 9 December 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In May 2021, Air Sinai's Airbus A220 have been removed from service, and subsequently begun flying for Nigeria's Ibom Air.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>
See also
Airlines created for political reasons:
- Australia Asia Airlines
- Air France Asie
- British Asia Airways
- KLM Asia
- Japan Asia Airlines
- Swissair Asia
References
External links
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Template:Portal bar Template:Airlines of Egypt Template:Egypt–Israel relations