NTSB delegation visits Cairo Airport Monday

CAIRO – 4 December 2017: A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) delegation will visit the Cairo International Airport on December 5 to review security measures carried out at the airport.

The delegation is set to review security procedures undertaken concerning Egypt Air flights to the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City. According to the Airports Council International (ACI), (JFK) has been the sixteenth busiest airport in the world during 2016.

In July, a Russian high-level security delegation visited Cairo and praised security procedures at the Cairo International Airport. During their two-day visit, the delegation lauded the installation of biometric devices that identify persons according to characteristics, including their voice and iris prints.

The delegation reviewed systematic procedures carried out to secure the passenger and his luggage, starting from entering the airport’s lounge until boarding the plane. They also checked the airport’s Cargo Village security, security cameras, fire control systems, and fingerprint devices installed to identify employees.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov in September told Sputnik that Egypt has exerted strenuous efforts to upgrade safety at its airports, particularly at the Cairo International Airport.

Meeting with Sisi on the sidelines of a BRICS conference in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the efforts of Egyptian authorities in securing airports, Presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

In November, a World Bank delegation inspected arrival and departure halls of the newly expanded terminal 2 at the Cairo International Airport. The delegation checked the arrival and departure procedures, as well as security measures.

Ensuring the airport’s level of preparedness in dealing with the emergence of any possible fire, the Cairo International Airport conducted an airfield fire-fighting exercise rehearsal in November.

Chairman of Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation Ismail Abul Ezz told Sputnik that this is the biggest deal in the history of civil aviation. Egypt signed a contract in February with Russian companies to install up to 21 radar stations.

This would entirely cover all the Egyptian airspace, making it one of the most secure, Abul Ezz added.