bmi, one of Britain’s largest airlines, launched its first ever wide-bodied Airbus A330 service on the Cairo-London route.

The service was officially inaugurated by Peter Spencer, the managing director of bmi, in a ceremony that took place at Cairo Airport.

The A330 will cater to the growing needs of the Egyptian business community, travelling on the Cairo – London Heathrow route, said Spencer.

bmi’s business class offerings on the A330 include Chauffeur Drive services on selected fares to and from the airport in both Cairo and London, as well as providing fully flat beds and an onboard chef.

The A330 will also provide the world’s best premium economy cabin with 127 cm of leg room, 30 cm more than offered by any other competitor.

On the new service, Spencer said the launch of three class services on the route may be seen as a bold step by many given the current economic crisis and the fact that bmi has only been in Egypt for less than two years, but we see this as the next logical step.

"The forecast for the Egyptian travel market is still very positive and this move is a direct response to market demand for higher quality services and greater capacity. The introduction of the A330 signifies the start of an even stronger business relationship between bmi and Egypt, one that we hope to keep building on," he added.

During his two-day stay in Egypt, Spencer also hosted a trade dinner and a corporate lunch which was held in collaboration with the British – Egyptian Business Association (BEBA).

During the lunch Spencer tackled key issues related to the travel and aviation industry, discussing bmi’s decision to invest in Egypt during the credit crunch.

Spencer pointed out that Egypt was a key destination on bmi's flight route and added that the Egyptian aviation market still offers many opportunities.-TradeArabia News Service