Egyptair is aiming to begin replacing its Airbus A300-600Rs in 2003/04 with up to seven A330s, according to the airline's chairman Mohamed Fahim Rayan.

Fleet rationalisation has seen Rayan concentrating on the Airbus A320 family, A330/ A340 and Boeing 777. Egyptair has already ordered two A340-600s to replace its two Boeing 747-400s from 2004. It operates three A340-200s and reportedly is intending to add two more 777s to the three -200ERs currently operated.

The Egyptian flag-carrier, which is understood to be trying to arrange finance for the A330s, will retain its two A300F4 freighters.

Rayan wants to extend Egyptair's network, with plans to fly twice a week to Montreal via New York. Next month the airline expects to start a service to Marseilles in southern France.

Source: Flight International