Egypt lovers

Travel To Cairo :ARRIVAL

what's the first place in Egypt you will see and spend little time in ?

That's Right its' Cairo Airport.


Cairo Airport History

Cairo International Airport history started in the forties of the last century when the American Bayn Field air-force base was established five kilometers far from Almaza Airport to serve the Alliance during the Second World War. The American forces left the base by the end of the war.


In 1945, the Civil Aviation Authority took over the base and allocated it to the International Civil Aviation. The Airport was called "King Farouk 1st Airport". In the meantime, Almaza Airport was dedicated to the domestic flights.



It is worth mentioning that the Air Traffic Movement during that period, particularly in 1946, was 200.000 passengers a year. The peak hour capacity of the Airport reached 200 passengers per hour.

In 1955, some studies were done to build a new terminal with a higher capacity; the location of the new terminal was chosen between the two runways, east of Cairo. The works of construction started in 1957 and has been inaugurated on 18th of March 1963.



In 1963, Cairo International Airport replaced the old Heliopolis Airport located at the Hike-Step area in the East of Cairo. It consisted of arrival and departure halls, a transit hall and two runways with a capacity of five million passengers a year.

As air transport rates went up to 55 % in the seventies, a second hall was constructed in 1977-79 and a third added in 1980.



In the Eighties, air transport rates increased again and a second terminal became a necessity. Terminal Building 2 with its two arrival and departure halls, a transit hall and a runway, was constructed to serve 3.5 million passengers per year.

With the increase in Air Traffic Movement and the demand for international service standards, there was a need for developing the airport's facilities . As a result, Cairo Airport Company started a major renovation and development plan on the transit hall in Terminal 1. It is scheduled to finish by the end of 2003 with a cost of US $ 12, 000,000. The consultant designer company for the project is ECG "Engineering Consultants Groups" S.A. Cairo, Egypt.

The proposed building consists of a ground floor, first floor and a mezzanine. The scope of work has been divided into three phases. The 1st phase was the renovation of the ground floor and has been completed in March 2002 and during the implementation of this work the airport processed normal operations. The ground floor contains the main access doors, bar, cafeteria, main duty free shops, boutiques, and transit/ transfer facilities.

The second phase, started during June 2003, as a development of the upper floor, which includes lounges, cafes and the car parking area. First and business class lounges will be located in the mezzanine floor. For economical class, travelers will pay lounges, each lounge reveals a different theme; Italian, British, American, French and Arabic. In addition, there will be luxurious VIP lounge to suit all tastes.

The third phase, which is due to be completed by the end of 2003, will include the completion of a 1960's cafe overlooking the runway as well as duty free shops.

There are other facilities in the airport as: both international and national telephone services, screens and monitors with detailed flight information, telephones for passenger's inquiries using IVR will be installed, banking facilities, rent cars companies, information desks, post office, pharmacy, clinic, disabled traveler facilities, baggage trolleys, and porters are also available.




The development plan takes into consideration the huge commercial opportunities that serve the airports today. As airports are commercial projects whose performance should always be geared towards increasing revenues, international studies show that air transport fees represent only 40% of airport revenues, a percentage that is expected to shrink to 20% in 10 years. Meanwhile commercial operations will provide 80 % of the airport revenues. One of the ways to increase the airport revenue is planting flowers on a hundred feddans of its lands, as the airport has made arrangements to export these flowers to various European countries.

The Airport faces continuous developments as enlarging the capacity of the transit hall from 1200 to 4500 passengers per hour, and a new parking area with the capacity of 800 vehicles has been constructed at a cost of 25 million pounds.

Amongst the new services, a new VIP Arrival and Departure Hall, which will be constructed outside the airport with a capacity of 180-200 passengers per hour. The new hall will be completed within 8 months, mainly serves the first class passengers and businessmen who want to pay more but to have rest in luxurious lounges while their papers and luggage are being checked.

The development plans of terminals 1 & 2 include 43 projects, some of which are the reconstruction of the infrastructure, electricity, water, drainage and air conditioning systems.

Hall 3, which is allocated for domestic flights, has been upgraded into an international hall. The LE 60 million projects will be implemented within eight months. There is also a multi-story underground garage is being constructed to serve those who need long-time parking .

To avoid traffic jams in Al-Orouba st., which is the main road connects the airport with downtown, a new road is currently under construction to provide an alternative route during peak times. This new route will improve traffic congestion along the airports main access routes.

Cairo Airport Development Project will be completed early the next year. By then, it will be as modem as one of the oldest airports in the Middle East. It won't be the best of all, but it will be able to compete with the most modern airports in the region.

There are high expectations that the renovations will help the 40-years old hub to keep up with the increased air traffic coming up into Egypt, as well as the changes in modern aviation that have taken place since the airport was first built.


The Development Plans at Cairo International Airport

1963

In March : Cairo International Airport Terminal 1 was inaugurated. It was designed to serve 5 million passengers per year. In that year the number of passengers was 8.18.000 passengers.

1970

The number of passengers raised to reach 1.268 million passengers.

1977

The Arrival hall no.2 was constructed.

1979

The Departure Hall no.2 was constructed.

1980

Departure and arrival Hall no. 3 was constructed, so the number of the passengers was 5.244 million passengers with an increasing rate of 314% than 1970.

1982

The new Runway 05R/23L was constructed.

1986

The inauguration of Terminal Building no.2 which designed to serve 3 million passengers /year .

1990

The number of passengers raised to reach 7.311 million passengers with an increasing rate of 39% than 1980 .

2000

The number of passengers reached 8.943 million passengers with an increasing rate of 22.3% than 1990 .

2002

The number of passengers reached 8.393 million passengers with an increasing rate of 0.9% than 2001, and a decreasing rate of 6.2% than 2000 as a result to the 11th of September events.





Entry Visa Requirements


Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to have a valid passport. Entry visa may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic Bodies abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Entry Ports .

Please check with the nearest Egyptian Consulate for specific details and regulations relevant to your nationality.

Note

Visitors entering Egypt at the overland border, then go to Taba to visit Gulf of Aqaba coast and St. Catherine, can be exempted from visa and granted a free residence permit for fourteen days to visit the area
For more details about the Egyptian Visa Rules and Regulations please visit this link

http://www.mfa.gov.eg/MFA_Portal/en-gb/Services/Rules%20and%20Regulations/
 
There are three types of Egyptian Visa:-

Tourist Visa: Is usually valid for a period not exceeding three months and granted on either single or multiple entry basis.

Entry Visa : Is required for any foreigner arriving in Egypt for any purposes other than tourism, e.g. work, study … etc. The possession of a valid entry visa is needed to complete the residence procedures in Egypt.

Transit Visa.

Visa Fees
 
Some examples of Egyptian tourist visa fees at a variety of Consular Bodies:
 
Argentina

Single Entry: 18 US $


Multiple Entry : 23 US $

Australia

Single Entry:35 $A


Multiple Entry :42 $A

Austria


Single Entry:300 AS


Multiple Entry :380 AS


Belgium


Single Entry:1100 BF


Multiple Entry :1300 BF

Brazil


Single Entry:25 Cr$


Multiple Entry :30 Cr$


Canada


Single Entry: 25 $c


Multiple Entry :31 $c


Cyprus (Cypriot nationals)


Single Entry: 8 Pound;


Cyprus (other nationals)


Single Entry:12 Pound;


Multiple Entry :14 Pound;


Denmark (Danish nationals)


Single Entry:132 Kr

Denmark (other nationals)


Single Entry: 188 Kr


Multiple Entry :240 Kr


Finland (Finnish nationals)


Single Entry:100 Mk


Multiple Entry :Mk


Finland (other nationals)


Single Entry: 140 Mk


Multiple Entry :175 Mk


France


Single Entry: 170 FF


Multiple Entry :205 FF


Germany (German nationals)


Single Entry: 35 DM


Germany (other nationals)


Single Entry:50 DM


Multiple Entry :65 DM


Greece


Single Entry:4,300 Dr


Multiple Entry :5,100 Dr


Holland


Single Entry:65 Fl


Multiple Entry :85 Fl


Indonesia


Single Entry: 45,000 Rp


Multiple Entry :60,000 Rp


Ireland


Single Entry:16,5 £


Multiple Entry :20,5 £


Italy


Single Entry:35,000 Lit


Multiple Entry :44,000 Lit


Japan


Single Entry: 5,500 Yen;


Multiple Entry :7,000 Yen;


Malaysia


Single Entry: 46 M$


Multiple Entry :57 M$


Norway (Norwegian nationals)


Single Entry:130 Kr


Norway (other nationals)


Single Entry:180 Kr


Multiple Entry :215 Kr


Portugal


Single Entry:3,600 Esc;


Russia (Russian nationals)


Single Entry:53,000 Rub


Russia (other nationals)


Single Entry:85,000 Rub


Singapore


Single Entry:46 S$


Multiple Entry :58 S$


South Korea


Single Entry:15,000 W


Multiple Entry :20,000 W

Spain


Single Entry: 3,700 Pts


Multiple Entry :4,600 Pts


Sweden


Single Entry: 170 Kr


Multiple Entry :220 Kr


Switzerland

Single Entry:50 SF


Multiple Entry :60 SF


United Kingdom


Single Entry: 15 Pound;


Multiple Entry :18 Pound;


United States (US nationals)


Single Entry: 15 $


United States (other nationals)


Single Entry: 20 $


Multiple Entry :23 $

(All above figures are correct at the time of posting but may be subject to change without prior notice)

Egyptian visa fees do not apply on the following cases:

1- Holders of diplomatic passports.

2- Officials of international organizations and specialized agencies and state delegates to conferences.

3- Arab League officials.

4- Non-national spouses of Egyptian nationals.

5- Non-national members of the clergy, prominent scientists, journalists and members of official cultural, educational and sports delegations.

6- Non-national students studying in Egyptian institutions.

7- Non-diplomatic personnel of diplomatic and consular missions affected in Egypt.

8- Parents, siblings and adult children of members of the diplomatic and consular corps affected in Egypt .

9- Nationals of Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Russia and the United States are partially exempt from Egyptian visa fees and therefore they should pay reduced fees.

The following are exempted from Visa Entry when visiting Egypt :

1-Nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates, are totally exempt from visa requirement .

2- Holders of diplomatic passports of Argentina, Bosnia Herzegovina, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Singapore, the Slovak Republic and Turkey.

Customs

How to go through the Egyptian Customs

If you have more than the duty free allowances or if you have prohibited or restricted goods, go into the RED channel and declare them to an officer in the customs declaration.

If you have nothing more than the duty free allowances and no prohibited or restricted goods go straight through the Green Channel unless asked to stop by an officer.

New security rules for hand luggage

In order to protect passengers against the new danger posed by liquid explosives, the International Civil Aviation Organization

(ICAO) has recommended new security regulations. The new regulations will apply at this airport until further notice.

Please take note of these new regulations for hand luggage and take them into account when planning your journey. It is still possible to pack liquids in your checked luggage. The new rules only apply to hand luggage.

New restriction:

1-All containers, with a maximum capacity of 100ml, must be packed in a transparent, re-sealable 1 litre plastic bag

2-Only one bag is permitted per passenger

3-The bag must be completely sealed




5-Deodorants        6-Oils


9- Sprays              10-Drinks

11-Shampoos        12- Soups

13-Lotions             14-Syrups, etc.



Medicines and special food (e.g. baby food) required during the

flight do not need to be carried in the plastic bag. These items

have to be presented at the security check too.


Duty free items, purchased at this airport, may be carried in a sealed bag accompanied by a receipt of purchase dated the same day.

The bag must be sealed at the point of purchase.

Please note that these airport-purchased items may not be,

permitted through any transfer airport in your journey.

Relevant information can be obtained from the respective sales outlets.

Authorized items in your hand-baggage but are prohibited to be used during taxing,
take-off and landing:



Portable Computers.

Video cameras.

Razors.

Radio, Television sets.

Authorized items in your hand-baggage, but are prohibited to be used during the flight:

Remote Controls

Cellular telephone, radio receiver & transmitter.

Prohibited items in your baggage or on your person.




 Explosives, munitions, fireworks& flares ...etc.

Compressed gas.

Camping gas stoves.

Gas lighters (except on your person)

 Inflammable products.

 Matches (except on your person)

Corrosive, oxidizing, irritant items.

Poisonous items.

Etiologic agents.

Radio active materials.

Magnetized material.

Firearms (or similar looking Toys)

Knives, scissors. (or similar looking Toys)

 Any kind of drugs in any form.
 
Your Exemptions

1- Personal Effects

2- New partial items of value not exceeding 100 Egyptian pounds.

3- One liter of alcoholic drinks, Plus 200 grs. Cigarettes or 25 Cigars or 200 grs. Of Tobacco.

4- Medals, rewards and the like which have been won in international sporting events.

5- Furniture, equipment, personal effects and cars, which have been temporarily exported from Egypt if the owner's original locations are in Egypt.

6- Photographic machines, typewriters, calculators, radios, cassette recorders, video, tape players, video cameras, personal jewelry and ornaments. . Etc, which are usually accompanied by tourists or Egyptian immigrants for use during their tours. Customs officers have to register the accompanied items in their passports on arrival.

7- Egyptian working and living outside the country may enjoy the same facilities aforementioned on arrival in Egypt against depositing the guarantee determined by customs authorities to ensure re-exportation.

8- Goods of value not more than 200 $ purchased by travelers coming into the country from the free shops located in the ports or inside the country within one month from the arrival may be exempted from customs duties.

9- There is no limitation as to the amount of foreign currency that you may bring into or take out of Egypt.

10- There is a limit of 1000 Egyptian Pounds that you bring into or take out Egypt.

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