Marsa Alam International Airport in Egypt has reportedly started the installation of a new security scanning system with an investment of EGP60m ($3.79m). Local online newspaper Egypt Independent reported that delegates from an explosive detection devices company in England are supervising the work. The airport is installing a Computer Tomography X-ray (CTX) scanner that is expected to start operations by the end of this year.
Engineers from the country have also received training on the operation of the new system. The training programme was conducted at the device manufacturer’s UK facility. Marsa Alam Airport operator and EMAC Board of Directors Chairman, Hany Okab, stated that management at Marsa Alam International Airport are looking to increase the site’s efficiency. The airport has sent employees abroad for training to stay on par with international airport security standards.
The work to improve security at the airport is a part of the measures taken to boost tourism for Egypt’s Red Sea resorts. Marsa Alam International Airport receives a high influx of tourists from Russia and Europe, which has fallen drastically following the flight bans by Russia and the UK after a Russian airliner was bombed in Sinai, Egypt, in 2015. In recent times, passenger traffic has increased.
In December, the first flight from the UK arrived at Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport after the ban was lifted. Last July, Egypt’s Hurghada International Airport inaugurated its Terminal 2 after the completion of all development and construction work. In January last year, the Government of Egypt opened Sphinx International Airport (SPX) for regular domestic flights as part of a trial operation.
