Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation Younes el-Masri announced the commencement of operations for the Sphinx International Airport Oct. 15. The new facility is located 45 kilometers (29 miles) west of Cairo on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road in Giza governorate. The airport was constructed in just 12 months, and the official opening will be held at the end of the year.
Masri flew on the new facility's inaugural flight and called the Sphinx International Airport a great and important addition to the country that will ease pressure on Cairo International Airport, the idea of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The airport will serve the cities of 6th of October and Sheikh Zayed, as well as six governorates including Fayoum, Beni Suef and Minya.