EgyptAir began life in May 1932 under the name Misr Airwork. It was the first airline in Africa and the Middle East, and it is the seventh-oldest airline still flying today. Service began in 1933 with de Havilland biplanes that linked Cairo with Alexandria and Aswan. The name later changed to Misrair, then to United Arab Airlines while Egypt and Syria were joined politically.
The EgyptAir name arrived in 1971. The airline flew jets early for the region, adding Comets in 1960. Egypt is the Arab world's most populous country. Its huge tourist trade to Cairo, Luxor, and the Red Sea resorts kept the planes full. In July 2008 it joined Star Alliance, a partnership of airlines that share routes and benefits. It was the group's first Arab and second African member.
It became a parent company with units for express flights, cargo, repairs, and ground work. The years after the 2011 revolution were hard. Flight 804 was lost in 2016. It still modernized with Boeing 787-9s, A320neos, 737-800s, and A350s on order. From Terminal 3 in Cairo it links Africa, Europe, the Gulf, and Asia. Some jets wear retro paint honoring ancient Egypt. Horus, the falcon god, sits on every tail.