Sphinx International Airport

Sphinx International Airport (IATA: SPX, ICAO: HESX) is a public airport, serving the city of Giza, on the western side of Cairo, Egypt.

Sphinx International Airport

مطار سفنكس الدولي
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesGreater Cairo, Egypt
Elevation AMSL553 ft / 169 m
Coordinates30°06′35″N 30°53′40″E / 30.10972°N 30.89444°E / 30.10972; 30.89444
Map
SPX is located in Egypt
SPX
SPX
Sphinx International Airport
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
16R/34L 3,650 11,975 Asphalt
Source: Google Maps[1] SkyVector[2]

History

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In October 2017, it was announced that the airport will be open to commercial flights in summer 2018 and is set to start experimental operations in October 2018.[3][4][5]

In January 2019 EgyptAir Express launched test flights to Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor and Aswan.[6]

On 1 January 2020, the airport received its first international flight from Jordan, operated by Fly Jordan.[7] On 2 November 2022, scheduled flights from Sharm El Sheikh to Sphinx airport started. The airport is operational but still undergoing final fit.

Facilities

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The airport is adjacent to and shares some infrastructure with the Cairo West Air Base. It is located on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road.[8] The main runway (16R/34L) is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the Cairo West runway complex. The aircraft parking ramp and terminal facilities are on the west side of the runway.[1] The Cairo West TACAN (Ident: BLA) is located on the field. The Cairo VOR-DME (Ident: CVO) is located 25.6 nautical miles (47 km) east of the airport.[9][10]

In December 2020, it was reported the airport was being expanded to increase the total area from 4,500 to 23,000 square meters (48,000 to 248,000 square feet), helping to provide a capacity of 900 passengers per hour instead of 300. This is to accommodate an increase in passenger traffic expected as a result of the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. The airport building is expected to include a travel hall with an area of 6,500 square meters (70,000 square feet), an arrival hall of 7,000 square meters, a food and beverage area of 1,000 square meters, duty-free shops, passport offices, an X-ray area and 28 check-in counters. This is in addition to a banking and quarantine area, a baggage claim area, eight passport counters, eight escalators, and a cooling plant with a capacity of 1,440 tons of refrigeration.[11]

Airlines and destinations

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The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Giza Sphinx Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
Air Arabia Sharjah[12]
Air Cairo Amman–Queen Alia, Hurghada,[13] Jeddah, Medina, Sharm El Sheikh[14]
AJet Istanbul–Sabiha Gökçen
Condor Seasonal: Frankfurt[15]
easyJet Berlin,[16] Geneva,[17] London–Luton,[18] Milan–Malpensa[19]
Edelweiss Air Zurich[20]
flydubai Dubai–International[21]
Flynas Jeddah, Medina,[22] Riyadh[23]
Jazeera Airways Kuwait City
Norwegian Air Shuttle Seasonal: Copenhagen[24]
Pegasus Airlines Istanbul–Sabiha Gokcen[25]
Seasonal: Antalya[26]
SalamAir Muscat[27]
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Budapest,[28] Larnaca,[29] London–Luton,[30] Milan–Malpensa, Rome–Fiumicino

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Google Maps – Giza Sphinx Airport
  2. ^ "Sphinx International Airport". SkyVector. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Inaugural flights land at Sphinx International Airport in Giza next summer". Egypt Independent. 2017-10-29. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  4. ^ "Sphinx International Airport to begin 'experimental operation' in January". Egypt Independent. 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  5. ^ "Cairo Sphinx, Egypt to open for tests in 1Q18". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  6. ^ "Sphinx International Airport to operate its first internal flight". Egypt Today. 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  7. ^ "Egypt's Sphinx Airport receives first international flight". egyptindependent.com. 2020-01-01.
  8. ^ "Egypt's Aviation Ministry finalizes preparations to inaugurate Sphinx Airport". Egypt Independent. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Cairo VOR (CVO)". Our Airports. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Cairo West TACAN (BLA)". ourairports.com. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  11. ^ "Saudi, Kuwaiti investments boost Cairo, Sphinx airports". al-monitor.com. 2020-12-24.
  12. ^ "Air Arabia launches non-stop flights between Sharjah and Egypt's Sphinx International Airport". aaco.org. 27 October 2023.
  13. ^ "AIR CAIRO NW24 GIZA SPHINX DOMESTIC NETWORK ADDITIONS". aeroroutes.com. 3 July 2024.
  14. ^ "AIR CAIRO NW24 GIZA SPHINX DOMESTIC NETWORK ADDITIONS". aeroroutes.com. 3 July 2024.
  15. ^ "CONDOR MOVES FRANKFURT – GIZA SPHINX SERVICE TO SUMMER SEASONAL IN 2023/24". AeroRoutes. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  16. ^ "EasyJet's new winter destinations from BER".
  17. ^ "Weiterer Ausbau von Easyjet ab Basel und Genf". 27 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Home".
  19. ^ "easyJet fa 70 (rotte) a Malpensa: si vola anche a Cairo West e Kittilä in Finlandia" [Easyjet has now 70 routes from Malpensa: added West Cairo and Kittila]. malpensa24.it (in Italian). 22 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Edelweiss Air NW24 MENA Network Expansion".
  21. ^ "Flydubai launches daily service to Cairo".
  22. ^ "FLYNAS ADDS MADINAH – GIZA SPHINX SERVICE FROM DEC 2024". aeroroutes.com. 25 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Flynas operates weekly direct flights to Sphinx International Airport in Egypt from Riyadh and Jeddah". Zawya (Press release). 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  24. ^ "NORWEGIAN NW24 NETWORK EXPANSION SUMMARY – 23MAY24". 24 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Uçak Bileti Ara, Ucuz Uçak Bileti Fiyatları | Pegasus".
  26. ^ "Pegasus NW24 Network Additions – 11SEP24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  27. ^ "SALAMAIR ADDS GIZA SPHINX SERVICE FROM MID-JUNE 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Kairóba indít járatokat Budapestről a Wizz Air". 15 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Wizz air now flies from Larnaca to Cairo".
  30. ^ "Luton airport gains Wizz Air Cairo service".
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