Luxor Air

Luxor Air was a privately owned Egyptian charter airline established in Cairo in 1997. Its principal base was Cairo International Airport, and its business centered on non-scheduled passenger flying rather than a published scheduled network. The airline operated ad hoc charter services within Egypt, international pilgrimage flights associated with the Hajj, and later inclusive-tour (IT) charter services linking Egypt with destinations in Europe. The company began flight operations after acquiring a Boeing 707-300C from Middle East Airlines in July 1998. The aircraft gave Luxor Air the capacity to undertake a mixture of domestic charter work and international Hajj flights to and from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In July 2000, the airline broadened its fleet with a leased Boeing 737-400. That aircraft was operated under an aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) arrangement for Algeria's Ecoair International, illustrating that Luxor Air's activities included aviation services for another carrier as well as flights sold under its own charter operation. A major interruption came on 23 March 2001, when the Boeing 707 was involved in an accident and was written off as a total loss. Luxor Air temporarily stopped operating after the loss of the aircraft. Operations resumed in August 2002 with a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83. The airline then concentrated primarily on IT charter flights between Egypt and Europe. A second leased MD-83 was added in July 2003, supporting this renewed international charter program. Luxor Air's European operation encountered serious regulatory difficulties in 2004. In March, France prohibited the airline from entering its airspace after one of its MD-83 aircraft deviated from its approach during a nighttime landing at Nantes and passed over the city center at an altitude of approximately 150 metres. The event led to increased attention from European aviation authorities. In April 2004, an inspection of one Luxor Air aircraft at Amsterdam-Schiphol identified safety deficiencies. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland subsequently imposed flight restrictions or bans on the airline. Luxor Air returned one MD-83 to its lessor and continued with a single aircraft while the restrictions were in effect. After the bans were lifted, Luxor Air resumed IT charter services to the affected European countries during the following year. The airline nevertheless remained a small, specialized operator whose activity depended on charter demand, leased aircraft and access to foreign aviation markets. It ceased operations in 2008. No current website, listed securities, parent group or surviving operating business is identified in the supplied reference material.

Luxor Air was founded in Cairo in 1997 by private investors as a charter airline. Its principal operating base was Cairo International Airport. Rather than building a conventional scheduled route network, the carrier pursued non-scheduled flying, including ad hoc charter work, pilgrimage traffic and later inclusive-tour services. The airline entered service in July 1998 after acquiring a Boeing 707-300C from Middle East Airlines. The aircraft was used primarily for charter flights within Egypt and for international Hajj operations connecting Egypt with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. In July 2000, Luxor Air expanded its fleet with a leased Boeing 737-400. That aircraft was operated for Ecoair International, an Algerian carrier, under an ACMI arrangement. This arrangement placed Luxor Air in the role of supplying aircraft-based operating capacity to another airline in addition to conducting its own charter activity. On 23 March 2001, the Boeing 707 was involved in an accident and was written off as a total loss. Following the loss, Luxor Air temporarily ceased all operations. The company returned to service in August 2002 using a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83. Its commercial emphasis then shifted toward IT charter flights to and from Europe. A second leased MD-83 was added in July 2003, giving the airline two aircraft for its European charter program. The European operation came under regulatory pressure in 2004. In March, French authorities banned Luxor Air from entering French airspace after an MD-83 deviated from its landing approach during a nighttime arrival at Nantes. The aircraft passed over the city center at roughly 150 metres, or about 500 feet. The incident prompted scrutiny from European aviation authorities. During the following month, an inspection of a Luxor Air aircraft at Amsterdam-Schiphol found safety deficiencies. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland then imposed bans or other restrictions on the airline. Luxor Air returned one MD-83 to its lessor and continued with only one aircraft during this period. After the restrictions were removed, the carrier resumed IT charter services to the affected European countries in the following year. Its later history is documented only briefly in the supplied reference material, but the airline is recorded as having ceased operations in 2008. The available sources do not identify a successor company, a current parent organization, a public listing or a surviving consumer brand. Luxor Air is therefore best characterized as a defunct Egyptian charter operator whose history was shaped by leased narrow-body aircraft, seasonal and pilgrimage demand, ACMI work, and the regulatory consequences of safety-related operational events.

• 2008

  Operations cease

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  Luxor Air ceases operating as an airline.

• 2005

  European charter services resume

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  After the restrictions are lifted, Luxor Air resumes IT charter services to the affected European countries.

• 2004

  European airspace restrictions

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  France and several other European countries restrict Luxor Air after a Nantes approach deviation and safety deficiencies identified during an Amsterdam inspection.

• 2003

  Second MD-83 added

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  A second leased MD-83 enters service in July to support the airline's European charter activity.

• 2002

  Operations resume with an MD-83

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  Luxor Air restarts flying in August with a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and focuses on European IT charters.

• 2001

  Temporary suspension after Boeing 707 loss

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  The Boeing 707 is written off following an accident on 23 March, and Luxor Air temporarily stops operations.

• 2000

  Boeing 737-400 added for ACMI work

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  A leased Boeing 737-400 is operated for Ecoair International under an ACMI agreement.

• 1998

  Operations begin with a Boeing 707-300C

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  The airline acquires a Boeing 707-300C from Middle East Airlines and begins domestic charter, international charter and Hajj flying.

• 1997

  Luxor Air is founded in Cairo

  [1]Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org

  Private investors establish Luxor Air as an Egyptian charter airline based at Cairo International Airport.

A privately owned Egyptian charter carrier focused on non-scheduled passenger services, pilgrimage traffic and seasonal international tour operations.

• Passenger aviation · 1998

  Charter passenger services

  Luxor Air's core activity was non-scheduled passenger flying. The airline operated ad hoc charter services within Egypt and international charter flights, using aircraft suited to temporary or seasonal demand rather than a fixed scheduled timetable.

• Pilgrimage aviation · 1998

  Hajj flights

  The airline used its Boeing 707-300C for international Hajj flights between Egypt and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. These services formed part of its early operating program and served pilgrimage-related seasonal demand.

• International charter aviation · 2002

  Inclusive-tour charter flights

  After returning to service with leased MD-83 aircraft in 2002, Luxor Air concentrated on IT charter flights to and from Europe. The program was restored to several European markets after restrictions on the airline were lifted.

• Airline capacity services · 2000

  ACMI aircraft operations

  Luxor Air operated a leased Boeing 737-400 for Ecoair International under an ACMI agreement. This provided aircraft-based operating capacity to another airline and represented a business activity distinct from Luxor Air's own charter flights.

• 2004

  Reduce the fleet after European restrictionsStrategy

  Background

  France and other European countries restricted Luxor Air following a Nantes approach deviation and safety deficiencies identified during an Amsterdam-Schiphol inspection.

  Action taken

  Luxor Air returned one MD-83 to its lessor and continued operations with a single aircraft while the restrictions were in effect.

  Aftermath

  The airline later resumed IT charter services to the affected countries after the bans were lifted.

  Source

• 2002

  Restart with leased MD-83 aircraft and focus on European IT chartersStrategy

  Background

  After the Boeing 707 was written off in 2001, Luxor Air had temporarily stopped operating and needed a replacement aircraft and operating model.

  Action taken

  The airline resumed operations with a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and concentrated its activity on inclusive-tour charter flights to and from Europe.

  Aftermath

  A second leased MD-83 was added in 2003, but the European program faced airspace restrictions in 2004 before services later resumed.

  Source

1. 1Luxor Airen.wikipedia.org