TUS Airways has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The airline, which is the largest in Cyprus, has brought onboard Ahmed Aly to lead an ongoing expansion from its base in Larnaca.

Plenty of experience

Aly has an extensive network planning and strategy background and worked previously with companies including Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways, before serving as CEO of Egypt’s largest private airline, Nile Air.

At TUS Airways, Aly will be responsible for driving the Larnaca-based company’s transformation, growth, and strategic direction as it aims to place itself as Cyprus’ leading airline. As the incoming Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Aly outlined his vision for the airline in both Cyprus and the greater region:

“I am extremely excited to be joining TUS Airways as CEO. Although the industry has gone through a challenging period, TUS Airways is very well positioned in a resurgent Cypriot market & capitalising on a unique geographical hub at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Africa & Asia to play a pivotal role in the recovery of air travel & tourism."

"As the airline embarks on the next chapter of its development, my focus will be to strengthen the airline’s leading position in Cyprus & the Mediterranean by offering a raft of exciting & innovative products and destinations to our customers.”

About the new CEO

Previous to his stint as CEO of Nile Air (2013-2018), Aly was the Head of Network Planning & Strategy at Etihad Airways. He also worked as a Senior Network Planning Officer at Qatar Airways before working as a consultant and ultimately joining TUS Airways.

Aly holds a Masters’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Queen Mary University of London in addition to a second Master’s in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University, which he received in 2007. He brings with him experience in the transformation & growth of international airlines, along with work in strategy design & implementation, the development of strategic partnerships, and digital changes.

“We are thrilled that Ahmed has joined TUS Airways as CEO,” said Ken Woolley, on behalf of the Board, shareholders, and GKL (Global Knafaim Leasing). “We firmly believe his extensive industry experience and innovative approach to growing airlines will lead us to achieve our highly ambitious goals of being the carrier of choice and strengthening the airline’s leadership position not only in Cyprus but the wider Mediterranean region.”

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The TUS Airways revival

The airline recently staged a comeback as a hybrid airline in 2021. TUS Airway currently operates a fleet of 4 modern Airbus A320 passenger aircraft from its base in Larnaca International Airport The aircraft are configured in an all-economy layout with 180 seats onboard and serve a variety of scheduled and charter destinations.

TUS Airways was established in 2015 and took flight the following year. However, operations were suspended in 2019, and the airline brought back original found and CEO Michael Weinstein to relaunch the airline in 2021. The airline returned strong with a flurry of routes and destinations commenced in the past year.

The airline seeks to capitalize on its unique Mediterranean location, enabling it to act as a regional hub. From its central hub at Larnaca, the airline serves several destinations this summer, including key links and leisure destinations such as Tel Aviv, Kalamata, Paris, Skiathos, Preveza, and Kefalonia.

TUS also flies from Paphos on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. The city, known as the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, will see links to Paris and Tel Aviv this summer.

Additionally, the carrier operates flights from Isreal to third counties without first touching Cyprus. Passengers can fly from Tel Aviv directly to both Toulouse in France and Dusseldorf in Germany. The aircraft then complete a final evening leg back to Cyprus for the night.

The airline reportedly considered investing in a widebody Airbus A330 for longer-haul flights in the future to connect major cities in the region via Cyprus.

UPDATE: 2022/06/27 15:42 EST BY JONATHAN E. HENDRY

Update from the Airline:

A spokesperson for TUS Airways, when contacted by Simple Flying, confirmed the airline had not made a final decision on long-haul flights.

Upcoming potential destinations were rumored to include Sharm El Sheikh, Dubai, and both Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. TUS Airways confirmed earlier this year it had secured the landing rights for Beijing and was looking to commence service when the appropriate airframe is secured.