Nesma Airlines (NE, Cairo International) is hoping to add its first two widebody jets - A330s - between June and September of next year.
Airline chief executive Ashraf Lamloum told Forbes that the jets would be placed onto Nesma's Egyptian AOC but will then be wet-leased out to its Saudi affiliate, Nesma Airlines (Saudi Arabia) (NSS, Hail), for use in running year-round flights to destinations in Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Senegal. The Saudi carrier recently ended jet operations and has since transitioned into an all-ATR - Avions de Transport Régional operator employing four ATR72-600s on domestic Saudi flights.
Nesma Airlines Egypt currently operates two A320-200s and one A319-100. However, both the A320s will be replaced with younger models once their leases expire in 2019.
The carrier currently specializes in connecting Cairo International with seven destinations across Saudi Arabia, namely Gassim, Hail, Jeddah International, Jouf, Tabuk, Taif, and Yanbu. It is also planning to open service to Dammam and Madinah as well as to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Iraq in the longterm.