(Ecofin Agency) - • EgyptAir orders ten Airbus A350-900 jets as part of a plan to grow its fleet from 70 to 97 aircraft by 2028.
• The airline aims to strengthen its position against Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc.
• African air travel is expected to grow by 5.2% per year until 2040, despite structural challenges in the sector.

Africa’s air travel market has long been led by three major players: Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), and EgyptAir. As competition heats up, each airline is pursuing ambitious plans to grow its operations.

As part of its strategy, EgyptAir has signed an agreement with Airbus to buy ten A350-900 aircraft. This deal is part of a wider state-backed plan announced in February to expand the airline’s fleet from about 70 planes at the end of 2024 to 97 by 2028. The expansion supports Egypt’s goals to boost air transport and tourism, while also helping EgyptAir stay competitive in a market currently led by Ethiopian Airlines.

According to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Ethiopian Airlines remained the continent’s top carrier in 2024, flying 15.8 million passengers. EgyptAir followed with 9.8 million, ahead of RAM with 7.1 million. All three airlines are growing fast, adding planes, opening new routes, and increasing their transport capacity.

Ethiopian Airlines is rolling out its “Vision 2035” plan, aiming to double its fleet to 270 aircraft and fly to 207 destinations, up from 142. It hopes to carry up to 65 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo every year by 2035.

Royal Air Maroc, meanwhile, wants to grow its fleet fourfold to 200 aircraft by 2037. The airline plans to fly 31.6 million passengers per year—up from the current 7.2 million.

Other regional airlines, including Air Algeria and Kenya Airways, are also looking to expand, which could reshape Africa’s airline industry in the coming years.

This competition comes as African air travel slowly recovers. Though the continent currently accounts for just 2% of global air traffic, it is expected to grow by 5.2% per year until 2040, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Despite being one of Africa’s biggest airlines, EgyptAir is still facing serious challenges. In 2022, the company posted losses of nearly 30 billion Egyptian pounds (about $600 million), largely due to the weakening of the local currency against the US dollar. In response, the airline has introduced cost-cutting measures, which have affected its ticket prices and service quality. This led to its removal from the global top 100 airlines list and from the list of the ten best airlines in the Arab world.