Why ZAS is bullish about the future

“I am very optimistic that Egypt is seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “We are finally starting to see more flights come into the country.”
ZAS offers ground-handling and flight support at Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Marsa Allam International Airports, as well as at smaller airports in the country.
The family run company has been operating since 1976 and today 40% of its business is in corporate flights, 40% in charter flights and 20% in cargo – depending on the season.
Zarkani said the company is looking to expand, adding that while EgyptAir and the Egyptian Aviation Authority provide the ground support equipment (GSE) at the airports in Egypt, ZAS is interested in operating its own GSE.
“We are more than ready to provide our own equipment if we were offered a licence,” he said.
While the company also offers charter flights in the UAE, its main focus is on Africa, where it has services in Sudan and South Sudan.
“Africa is more in line with the type of company we have set up to be – working in areas where the facilities are not up to the standards of what we operate,” explained Zarkani.
“When we first got to Juba it was very difficult to find people with experience in the industry, so we brought in our training department and they perform training every three months for the locals. We also own the handling equipment there.”
Zarkani added: “There two things we looked for in Juba – trained staff and the airport facilities. Initially, for example, there was no airport follow-me car – it was actually a guy on a bicycle heading in front of the aircraft – so the first thing we did was provide the airport with a follow-me car. We also donated a proper X-ray machine.”
In Khartoum the company hires the equipment from Sudan Airways but Zarkani said the company is in the process of applying for a licence.
ZAS is also looking to expand in other African countries, including Somalia, Tanzania and the Congo.