After the negotiations, legal consultant Mohamed Fouad, who represented President Mohamed Morsi in the afternoon negotiations, told local media that EgyptAir was willing to grant cabin crew their "legitimate demands". Accordingly, cabin crew members have agreed to suspend their strike for 48 hours.
As flight departure announcements resumed, the 12-hour stoppage had stirred disorder inside Cairo Airport with the accumulation of cancelled flights. Thousands of passengers had taken to the floor of the airport's terminals with their luggage next to them. Even some of the luggage that had been checked was kept aside as there was not enough space to accommodate the luggage coming through from all carriers.
A consultant to the aviation minister claimed Friday that the 12-hour strike had cost the state carrier LE50 million as 55 flights had been delayed. Costs are expected to continue rising throughout the recovery period from the lag.
Passengers whose flights are finally announced for departure are checking in through all counters instead of separate counters for each flight.
Outbursts of anger have been frequently heard from the crowd. An elderly woman whose flight was delayed kept yelling, "Where is the president? Why isn't he intervening to solve this crisis? I have been travelling regularly for 23 years to visit my daughter who lives abroad and this has never happened to me."
Many passengers also had to change terminals more than once to reach to their flights. An old woman in a wheelchair who had found out her terminal had changed was among those who lost her temper.
Airport officials say the 12-hour lag will be made up within 48 hours, but cabin crew workers say realistically it could take up to a week to recover from the delays.
In September 2011, EgyptAir ground staff went on strike to demand better working conditions.
Strikes in Egypt have been on the rise for several years, performing an instrumental role in the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.
Several weeks ago, cabin crew members notified authorities that they would strike Friday if their demands were not addressed.
The minister of civil aviation, who is directly presiding over the file, traveled to Jeddah Thursday, but cut short his trip Friday evening, meeting with Prime Minister Hisham Kandil upon his arrival in Cairo.
