Air Sinai: Авиакомпания между Египтом и Израилем

Airline based in Cairo, Egypt

Air Sinai (سيناء للطيران DIN) was an airline based in Cairo, Egypt. It operated as a 'paper airline' for parent company Egyptair under a wet lease like agreement to serve flights exclusively between Egypt and Israel.

The Egypt–Israel peace treaty signed in March 1979 stipulated that there must be active civilian aviation routes between Egypt and Israel. To fulfill the treaty, Air Sinai was established in 1982 to fly scheduled services between Egypt and Israel (on routes previously flown by Nefertiti Aviation), which for political reasons could not be handled by parent company Egyptair. Services started using a Boeing 737 200 leased from Egyptair and new routes from Egypt's tourist destinations followed. By the mid 1980s a Fokker F27 Friendship was also in use on these services. During 1982, a Boeing 707 320C was leased and operated on behalf of Egyptair on their flights to Europe, especially twice weekly from Cairo to Copenhagen. Due to the tense Egypt–Israel relations, the airline operated discreetly: for a long time it had no website, public schedule of flights, markings on planes, signs at the airports, or a way to make online bookings.

Due to the nature of its operations, Air Sinai used two unmarked Airbus A220 aircraft, SU GFA & SU GFD owned by Egyptair to operate its flights. Other types, including larger aircraft were also used based on operational requirements, with Egyptair markings then being removed. On some occasions, Egyptair branded aircraft have also been utilised. In September 2019, it was announced the airline would replace Embraer 170 operations with Airbus A220 aircraft operated by Egyptair from 1 March 2020. In December 2019, the first Airbus A220 flight was moved forward to 9 December 2019. In May 2021, Air Sinai's Airbus A220 have been removed from service, and subsequently begun flying for Nigeria's Ibom Air.