Egypt Sphinx International Airport (Photo Courtesy of EgyptAir Media)
Fenergi made his comments in response to Ahram Online’s questions on Thursday, the day of the launch of SITA’s Baggage IT Insights 2025 report.
“The recent launch of the Smart Control Center (SCC) in Cairo exemplifies the country’s commitment to digital transformation in aviation, offering real-time oversight and improved coordination,” Fenergi explained.
“By implementing automated self-service bag drops, real-time tracking, and AI-driven analytics, Egyptian airports can enhance operational efficiency, reduce mishandling rates, and align with global standards,” he continued.
Fenergi added that these advancements will improve the passenger experience and support Egypt’s broader goals of boosting tourism and economic development, positioning the country as a regional leader in smart aviation.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is working with the Egyptian government to advise on introducing public-private partnerships (PPPs) at 11 airports to improve infrastructure, connectivity, and passenger services.
In response to a question about how smart infrastructure and data-driven baggage solutions helped the Middle East and Africa achieve one of the lowest mishandled bag rates globally in 2024, despite increased passenger volumes, Fenergi noted that the region achieved a mishandling rate of 6.02 bags per 1,000 passengers.
“This success is largely due to strategic investments in smart airport infrastructure and advanced baggage management technologies. Real-time tracking, AI-powered analytics, and self-service systems have become standard, enabling faster and more accurate baggage handling,” he said.
EgyptAir signed a strategic partnership with SITA in May to modernize its network infrastructure and enhance operational efficiency, resilience, and customer service.
Highlights from SITA’s report
The Middle East and Africa’s air transport sector kept pace with global passenger growth in 2024, maintaining strong baggage handling performance despite rising system demands.
The region reported 6.02 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers—up slightly from 4.5 in 2023 but still among the world’s best.
Globally, despite an 8.2 percent increase in air traffic, the overall mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, down from 6.9 in 2023 and 67 percent lower than in 2007.
The number of mishandled bags declined slightly to 33.4 million from 33.8 million the year before.
Over 66 percent—or 22 million—were resolved through SITA WorldTracer within 48 hours. Specifically, 25 percent were resolved within 12 hours, 38 percent within 24 hours, and another 38 percent within 48 hours.
Still, baggage mishandling cost the industry an estimated $5 billion in 2024.
The report stressed the need for continued investment in automated, data-driven baggage systems to reduce losses from courier returns, claims processing, customer service, and lost productivity.
“Airports and airlines are now handling greater baggage volumes with more precision.
Real-time tracking, AI-powered analytics, and self-service solutions are no longer experimental—they are becoming standard and they are clearly having an effect,” the report said.
It also noted that these systems are already in place at several Egyptian airports preparing for modernization.
Short link: