CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptair, the country's flagship carrier and one of Africa's largest airlines, will begin flying twice a week to south Sudan next month as Egypt seeks improved ties ahead of a planned 2011 referendum on secession.
The state-owned airline's flights to the southern capital Juba, will start on August 6, the company said on Tuesday, adding to its 26 flights a week to Khartoum.
"Expanding in Africa comes in line with a strategy to offer more services and investments in this continent, one of the fastest growing markets in the world," Hussein Massoud, chairman and chief executive officer of the Egyptair holding company, said in an emailed statement.
Egyptair, a member of the Star Alliance network, has also recently started flights to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Abuja in Nigeria.
"We have ambitious expansion plans and we will continue to seek new destinations in Africa and increase the frequency of flights," said Captain Alaa Ashour, chairman of the airline.
Reuters Africa
