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ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES DEVELOPMENT NEWS

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#1 ·
Ethiopia orders 17 new Boeing and Airbus

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

July 30, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Airlines announced plans to purchase 17 new aircrafts from the Boeing and Airbus companies with a $4.2 billion deal, marking the flag carrier, the first African airline to order and operate the ultra long range 777-200LR model.

The airline in a statement on Tuesday said that it has placed an order for five B777-200LR Boeing aircrafts from the Boeing Company and twelve A350-900s from Airbus.

Ethiopia’s latest announcement for the purchase of five Boeing aircrafts comes after the chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines; Girma Wake signed an agreement with Boeing’s Sales Director for the Middle East and Africa, Skip H. Thompson.

Last week, the flag carrier has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus to acquire 12 A350-900s aircrafts. The order for the five B777-200LRs will cost the Ethiopian airlines US$1.3 billion and US$2.9 billion for the twelve A350-900s.

The B777-200LRs will be delivered begin in October, 2010 while the A 350 -900s will be received in 2017.

"The Boeing 777 will be integral as we bring our business to the next level" Girma Wake said, adding this order reinforces the deep ties between our two companies.

"The new purchase of aircraft from Boeing and Airbus is made in line with Ethiopia’s fast growth strategy in which it is predicated that the fleet size would significantly increase in the next ten to fifteen years" Girma said.

The order is one of the largest-ever by an African airline, and comes amid a broad slump in business for the world’s top airline companies.

Ethiopian currently operates an all-Boeing jet fleet of 29 aircraft and was the regional launch customer for the 787. It has been forced to lease alternatives and delay expansion as the 787 schedule has slipped.

The airline has developed a strong regional network to position Addis Ababa as a base to feed long-haul traffic into Africa, competing with fast-growing Middle East carriers such as Emirates Airline.

Net profits rose 9% to 515 million birr in the six months to December 31, the latest data available, with operating revenue up 55% at 6.7 billion birr. It carried 1.5 million passengers during the period, with freight more than doubling to 55,000 tons. In the year to June 30, 2008 it made a net profit of 507 million birr.

Ethiopian airlines is widely regarded as one of the best-run airlines in Africa. It serves over 50 destinations worldwide and over 35 destinations within Ethiopia.

(ST)
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090728-721469.html
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article31980
 
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#2,420 ·
Interesting read ...
https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/11/why-is-african-air-travel-so-terrible/546422/

Why Is African Air Travel So Terrible?


Taking a flight between cities in different African nations is often expensive, circuitous, and unsafe. But better days for travelers may be coming.

Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is one of the biggest cities in Africa, with an estimated population larger than London and a skyline that peers over the wide, snaking Congo River. But if a traveler wants to go from there to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and Africa’s largest metropolis, it’s impossible to fly nonstop. Roughly 1,100 miles separate the two megacities—about the same distance as New York to Minneapolis. But there are no direct flights. Instead, a traveler will need to change planes at least once and pay a minimum of $1,200. There’s a good chance the journey will take well more than 12 hours.

Across Africa, the situation is similar. Commercial flights are infrequent, expensive, and circuitous. To get from one country to another, an African traveler may have to go thousands of miles out of their way to transfer through the Middle East or Europe.

The continent is home to roughly 12 percent of the world’s population and will be responsible for most of the global population growth over the next three decades. But it accounts for just 1 percent of the world’s air travel market. The flights that do exist are often more expensive than routes of similar duration elsewhere in the world.

“Time-wise, it can be a bit frustrating,” said Sarah, 29, an American NGO worker living in Kampala, Uganda, who asked that her last name not be published. Sarah routinely travels around the continent for work and vacation. This Thanksgiving, she’s flying to see friends in Bujumbura, the lakeside capital of Burundi, 450 miles away. The distance is roughly the same as Boston to Washington, D.C. But instead of a short 90-minute hop, Sarah will need to fly first to Kenya, change planes, then make another stopover in Rwanda. The trip will cost her more than $600 and take more than six hours; other flights that day would have taken more like 10 hours.

Why is it so difficult to fly around Africa? Blame a combination of protectionist legal barriers and regulatory hurdles, mixed with inadequate infrastructure, high taxes, and stubborn nationalism. Airlines trying to launch a new route between African nations need to first secure permission from both countries, which can be a lengthy and expensive prospect that may or may not involve significant bribes. Forty-four African nations signed on to a 1999 agreement promising to promote competitive markets and remove regulatory barriers. But to date, few have actually implemented the plan, known as the Yamoussoukro Decision after the Côte d'Ivoire capital in which it was reached.

Countries across the continent have displayed protectionist tendencies to limit others’ access to their own airspace. Those instincts began a generation ago, when newly independent nations sought to assert themselves by creating national airlines, and continue today. Yet even as flag carriers across the continent edge toward financial ruin, additional countries, including Uganda and Nigeria, are eyeing creating federally subsidized airlines of their own, in what University of Nairobi professor Evaristus Irandu called a “costly show of patriotism.” To prop those carriers up, countries may be reluctant to grant easy access to an outsider.

At the moment, that means that the airlines best positioned to dominate African skies are behemoths often based in Europe or the Middle East. “In the absence of competition, these mega-carriers have no incentive to lower fares,” said Irandu.

The problem is compounded by the generally poor state of Africa’s transportation infrastructure. Roads and rail links are limited, and the continent itself is vast: When Africans need to travel, flying should be the best option. Yet there are few large airports, major aircraft maintenance facilities, or training academies around the continent, so African airlines pay more than their competitors elsewhere. The continent has also led the world in major accidents and other safety incidents, partly because of the prevalence of older and outdated aircraft.

Various fees and tax schemes also contribute to big ticket prices. Taxes for fuel in some countries are more than twice the global average. The pre-tax base price of a KLM ticket from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to London is roughly $350. But several hundred dollars in fees and taxes are added by the time it’s purchased by the passenger, pushing the sticker price up to $825.

The largely empty African skies have a tangible economic impact on the people below: The economies of the planet’s’ poorest continent are missing out on more than a billion dollars in possible growth. In the U.S., aviation accounts for more than 5 percent of the country’s GDP, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, supporting nearly 11 million jobs and contributing $1.6 trillion in economic activity. As CityLab’s Richard Florida recently reported, hosting a major international hub has been a boon for places like Dubai and Singapore. Studies show that a 10 percent increase in airplane passengers increases the local service sector by 1 percent, and that a 10 percent boost in international flights causes a 4 percent growth in the number of large firm headquarters nearby. In other words, if people can get a direct flight from their city to yours, they’re likely to increase business relationships. If they can’t, they won’t.

Adopting open-skies policies would help encourage competition, which grows traffic by as much as double, according to a study backed by the International Air Transport Association, an industry group. Other analysis by the organization found that 12 leading African nations could boost their collective GDP by $1.3 billion and attract 4.9 million new travelers by implementing bilateral agreements. Ticket prices would go down by as much as 35 percent and trade would grow by $430 million. Ethiopia alone would benefit from 15,000 new jobs and $60 million in economic uplift—that’s as much money as Ethiopia received from China this year to build an industrial park in the resort town of Bahir Dar. When South Africa and Zambia reached a bilateral open-skies agreement, fares between the two countries fell by nearly 40 percent. Likewise, Morocco’s 2005 opening to European airlines dropped fares and more than doubled the number of passengers.

“We know that [aviation is] a driver of interregional trade,” said Adefolake Adeyeye, a research fellow at NTU-SBF Center for African Studies in Singapore. “We know that it’s very useful for landlocked developing countries.”

The best argument for liberalizing Africa’s air market comes from Europe. When European countries banded together to create a single aviation zone in 1993, annual traffic grew by twice as much over the next decade than in previous years. In its wake came a slew of low-cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair. Subsequent growth expanded the European Union’s GDP by 4 percent. There is some indication that Africa would benefit even more. According to the World Bank, 20 percent of Africa’s tourism-related jobs are from foreigners traveling by air. In North America, that number is only 4 percent.

One African nation that appears to be eager to tap its air power is Ethiopia. The state-owned airline is the only profitable African carrier and has some of the best reach across the continent. Ethiopia is also investing heavily in a massive new airport, as well as an expansion of the current hub outside of Addis Ababa. CEO Tewolde GebreMariam has described infrastructure and human resource training as two of the four “pillars” of the airline’s 15-year plan, called Vision 2025. In the absence of a continental open-skies agreement, Ethiopian Airlines has sought out bilateral deals with other carriers, and GebreMariam has praised his government’s refusal to interfere with the airline’s operations. In the process, however, the country has ratcheted up its debts and outsourced much of its infrastructure financing to China.

Ethiopia was the world’s third-poorest country at the turn of the millennium, but since then has been one of the fastest growing economies and the continent’s biggest manufacturer. The flourishing of Ethiopian Airlines is just one small piece of that growth—but it’s not an accident that the country’s economy has ballooned as its airline has taken off.

As the continent looks towards the future, it’s expected to undergo a massive population boom: By 2050, Africa’s population of working-age people will triple to 1.25 billion, and its middle class is expected grow significantly. Nigeria is projected to overtake the United States as the world’s third most populous country. To improve the economic prospects for those residents, improving Africa’s air travel may be a strategy that leaders can’t afford to ignore.
 
#2,424 ·
WOW, this is one of the dumbest things I have heard in quite some time. If a U.S. based carrier wanted to serve Ethiopia, it could start any day due the U.S.-Ethiopia open skies agreement. Continually blaming foreign carriers for "stealing passengers" is childish to say the least; in addition, U.S. carriers are making great profits as of lately.

One of the main reasons why those airlines are able to lower their prices is not simply government subsidies, but the fact that labor rates in other nations, including Ethiopia, are significantly less than those in America; therefore, they are able to pass the savings onto the customer. The uncompetitive environment possessed by U.S. carriers is quite embarrassing and worrisome.
 
#2,426 ·
By:www.newera.com.na
Ethiopian’s second Boeing 787-9 makes debut flight to Beijing
Staff Reporter

Windhoek-Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, confirmed that its second Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, named after the Chinese capital city Beijing, made its maiden commercial flight to Beijing.

On-board the new Ethiopian game changing fleet, passengers enjoyed its unique features such as biggest windows in the sky, high ceilings, less noise, distinctive lighting, and higher air humidity at 40,000 feet.

Ethiopian is among the veteran carriers that started serving the People’s Republic of China back in the early 1970’s, which has translated into a flourishing commercial and bilateral cooperation between the continent of Africa and China.

Currently, Ethiopian operates 30 weekly scheduled flights through its five gateways in China, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Chengdu.

Ethiopian is supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative with its extensive and convenient network of passenger and cargo connectivity in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Ethiopian Airlines is the fastest growing airline in Africa. In its seventy-plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.
 
#2,428 ·
#2,429 ·
ET to introduce Mobile App

On the occasion of the launch of Ethiopian Mobile Application, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines remarked:

“In the age of “the internet of things” and “Artificial Intelligence” I am very happy that our “mobility” project is fast advancing which enabled us to announce to our esteemed customers that Ethiopian Mobile Application has gone live. The Mobile Application is a critical piece of our overall strategy to bring our customers’ travel experience to another level by leveraging on Information and Communication technology and African Flavored Ethiopian Hospitality.

With this new Mobile Application, customers will be able to use their mobile devices to book their flights, do their flight check-in, issue their boarding pass and self-board their flights, check the status of their flight, get actual arrival and departure times of ET flights and remain connected and informed throughout their journey in real-time.

As a customer focused airline, we are continuously working very hard to avail cutting-edge and user-friendly solutions that will improve our customers ‘overall experience and meet their ever-increasing expectations.”

Customers will enjoy 10% discount on all bookings made through Ethiopian Mobile App.

you can download ET Mobile App for Android here :
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ethiopianairlines.ethiopianairlines

go to AppStore for the equivalent on IOS
 
#2,434 ·
oh you r right ! i 've wrongly assumed they coded it for Iphone as well...
since android users outnumber Iphones users, they probably bet on Google OS first...ET Asian market is also booming (china notably) where Android rocks..wait and see before you can download it and get your 10% discount :)
 
#2,435 ·
oh you r right ! i 've wrongly assumed they coded it for Iphone as well...
since android users outnumber Iphones users, they probably bet on Google OS first...ET Asian market is also booming (china notably) where Android rocks..wait and see before you can download it and get your 10% discount :)
Ethiopian Launch New Booking App

Ethiopian airlines have launched a new booking app available initially to Android users


https://nitravelnews.com/news/ethiopian-launch-new-booking-app/
 
#2,431 ·
መጋቢት ፲;143723767 said:
'A proposal in the US Senate tax-overhaul bill would require airlines based in 14 nations or territories including Ethiopian to pay U.S. corporate taxes on a portion of their profits

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/senate-tax-bill-targets-some-foreign-airlines-1511784001
Oh btw, this bill is dead and didn't even pass senate let alone the House. It seems like main argument against it is that, If US does tax foreign airlines, it will send a grave message to other countries to potentially do the same hence significantly raising cost.....
 
#2,436 ·
Malaysia Airports: Ethiopian Airlines to promote KLIA as preferred hub
Syahirah Syed Jaafar
December 13, 2017 16:07 pm +08


KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd said Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner's inaugural flight from Ethiopia to Malaysia will cater to increasing passenger traffic from Africa.

In a statement, Malaysia Airports said Ethiopian Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner made its maiden flight to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday (Dec 10).

Today, Malaysia Airports managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said in the statement: “We first welcomed Ethiopian in the year 2012. It has been more than 5 years since we first started our business relationship and we are happy to see that it has grown from strength to strength. With the increasing passenger traffic from the African continent, the introduction of the Ethiopian Dreamliner is timely and will cater to the rising passenger load factor.

"Thus, we are absolutely confident that Africa’s leading carrier will grow even further, thus benefitting our two countries and at the same time, will further promote KLIA’s status as a preferred hub in the region
http://www.theedgemarkets.com/artic...ethiopian-airlines-promote-klia-preferred-hub
 
#2,440 ·
Ethiopian Airline to own 45% of the soon to be launched Zambia Airways

Ethiopian Airline to own 45% of the soon to be launched Zambia Airways


FILE: THE two fire engines at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport
spilling water over the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft in a picturesque
arc of mist that glowed in bright sunshine during the inaugural flight
to Ndola

December 23, 2017
Acting Information Minister Stephen Kampyongo has said that Zambia will have 55 percent shares in the national airline whilst Ethiopian Airline will get the remaining 45 per cent shares.
Mr Kampyongo was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today when he updated the nation on decisions made by Cabinet on Monday December 18, 2017.
Kampyongo said Zambia Airways would be given a US$ 16.5 million grant for start-up and operational costs in the first year.
“I wish to reiterate the announcement by my colleague, Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba, that Cabinet, under this item, approved the operationalization of the Zambia Airways (2014) limited by concluding a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines as a preferred strategic partner with a shareholding structure of 55% by the Government of the Republic of Zambia (RGZ) and 45 per cent by Ethiopian Airlines (ET). The 55 per cent equity shareholding by GRZ will be held by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and that a grant equal to US$16.5 million be allocated to Zambia Airways (2014) limited for startup and operational costs year one,” Kampyongo said.
“In any case even when you are building a house, you don’t build a carport for someone else to come and park a car. You build with the hope of parking your own car. So we are not building this infrastructure for other airlines to benefit.”
Kampyongo said government would not interfere in the operations of the airline.
“We have learnt lessons on how Zambia Airways failed to conduct business and going forward, there will be no interference with the running of the new face Zambia Airlines. The public is hereby informed that the Patriotic Front government has since 2012 invested nearly US$1 billion in aviation,” said Kampyongo
Cabinet has also approved the appointment of four additional members of the Board of Trustees for the Livestock Development Trust.
The members will serve as non-executive board of trustees for the Livestock Development Trust following the dissolution of the board in May, 2015.
Mr Kampyongo revealed that Cabinet made a final decision on the appointment of members after having deliberated on the matter during the 10th Cabinet meeting which was held on 6th June, 2017.
Mr. Kampyongo however said that the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock will announce the full Board members in due course so that the Board could start providing policy advice on matters pertaining to livestock development in the country.
And Mr. Kampyongo has indicated that during the same meeting, Cabinet approved the appointment of the eleven (11) member Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Board in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, No. 36 of 2010 which will soon be announced by the Minister of Health.
He observed that the Occupational Health Statutory Instrument (OHSI) has for some time now been operating without a board since the tenure of office for the former members which expired in June, 2016.
And with regards to the Higher Education Amendment Bill of 2017, Mr. Kampyongo explained that Cabinet approved the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013.
He said this will re-define the roles of principle officers and allow universities to have more than one Deputy Vice Chancellor depending on the number of Campuses and schools for the university.
Mr. Kampyongo added that there is also need to streamline the conflicts that have arisen following the operationalisation of the regulatory authorities and strengthen the regulations to ensure that institutions go through a gradual progression from University College before they can become full Universities.
He further said the current Higher Education Act No.4 of 2013 has a number of omissions, gaps and conflicts that have been identified which have caused the sub-sector to experience a lot of challenges despite the establishment and operationalisation of the Higher Education Authority.
Kampyongo observed that some of the challenges experienced are associated with the lack of provisions within the Act to classify institutions depending on their capacity and the proliferation of universities due to insufficient regulatory provision among others.
He said the bill shall be presented in Parliament for debate during the February sitting of parliament next year.
 
#2,443 · (Edited)
Africa Chorus Aviation Delivers Two New Bombardier Q400 Aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines


By Aviation Tribune
Posted on January 4, 2018




By Raimund Stehmann [GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

Chorus Aviation announced that a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Capital completed the delivery of two new Bombardier Q400 aircraft placed on long-term lease to Ethiopian Airlines.
This transaction was previously announced on November 29, 2017.
One year ago today, Chorus established a new regional aircraft leasing subsidiary, Chorus Aviation Capital. The objective was to build Chorus Aviation Capital into a global aircraft lessor with a diverse customer base and fleet of regional jet and turboprop aircraft in the 70- to 135-seat range.
“We have built and grown Chorus Aviation Capital into a significant global business with a strong customer base, attractive aircraft assets and long-term contracted leases,” commented Steven Ridolfi, President, Chorus Aviation Capital.
“We are gaining momentum in this growing and dynamic market, and look forward to the continued success of this new and exciting business,” he added.
In its first year of existence, Chorus Aviation Capital completed the acquisition of 21 aircraft with an average age of less than three years, and long-term leases with strong, brand-name regional airlines located in eight countries and six continents. It manages a diversified fleet of five of the best regional aircraft types (CRJ1000s, E190s, E195s, Q400s and ATR 72s) manufactured by ATR, Bombardier, and Embraer.
“In a short period of time, we have established a strong market position in the regional aircraft leasing sector,” stated Joe Randell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chorus.
“Together with the 41 regional aircraft under lease in the CPA, Chorus has grown its portfolio of leased aircraft to 62 airplanes worth approximately CDN $1.2 billion. We are transforming our organization into a global leader in the field of regional aviation, delivering a complete suite of regional aviation services to the world.”

Related Media http://atwonline.com/
Q400 in Air Canada Express livery
Chorus Aviation orders 13 Bombardier Q400s

Chorus Aviation Capital (CAC), the aircraft leasing subsidiary of Halifax-based Chorus Aviation, said Jan. 4 that its Ireland-based subsidiary has delivered two new Bombardier Q400 turboprops placed on long-term lease to Ethiopian Airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines’ turboprop fleet includes 10 owned and four leased-in Q400s, with six additional wholly owned Q400s on order, according to Aviation Week Fleet Discovery data as of Dec. 14, 2017.

The carrier’s total fleet of 95 aircraft also comprises six Airbus A350s, 21 Boeing 787s, four 777-300ERs, six 777-200LRs, 18 737s, two 757s, five 767-300ERS and six 777-200F/LR freighters.

Additionally, Ethiopian has placed orders for 18 additional A350s, up to 35 737 MAX 8s, four more 777-200F/LR freighters; and two 787-9s to be leased through Netherlands-based AerCap.
 
#2,444 ·
Ethiopian to commence flights to 10 international destinations in six months

Ethiopian to commence flights to 10 international destinations in six months



Addis Ababa, January 4, 2018 (FBC) –The Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is to commence flights to 10 international destinations over the coming six months.
The new destinations are in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Teolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian said in an exclusive interview with FBC yesterday.
Among the new destinations include Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Istanbul, Jakarta and Buenos Aires.
Flight to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, will be launched on International Women's Day (March 8) and will be operated with an all-female crew.
Ethiopian is the fastest growing Airline in Africa.
It commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 100 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.
 
#2,455 ·
#2,448 ·
I don’t think so. I have been on some EA flights where arrogant Ethiopians complain their way into business class. They then brag about it to their friends. EA is taking advantage of the complete lack of any real competition in Africa to establish itself as the pan-African airlines. We are living in a period where there is a historically low number of African national carriers. Of course there will be growing pains but EA is working in the riskiest region of the globe.
I’m talking about customers that lost their baggage and isn’t getting any help. I’d be furious. You are supposed to get your bag within 3-5 days max.
 
#2,450 ·
I agree, EA losing a bag is certainly unfortunate. However, consider that in 2016 EA had 7.6 million passengers and that all airlines lose bags from time to time. In 2017, I was an EA passenger on 6 occasions and from my perspective, the customer service seems to be improving and I've found the Ethiopian staff to be much more helpful than ፈረንጅ. Maybe Skyliner can comment on this as he seems to be flying on EA quite often.
That baggage get left behind happens, especially when you have a tight transit but what concern me is the lack of feedback from customer service when you try to get help by phone/mail (not face-to-face at the airport). See the comments on Facebook, it’s worrying.
 
#2,451 ·
Ethiopian Airlines Seeks to Ease Inter-Africa Travel
https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/ethiopian-airlines-seeks-to-ease-inter-africa-travel.html



As international travel to the African continent blossoms—visitation was up 6.5 percent in 2017—getting to Africa is becoming easier than ever. A number of carriers are increasing or expanding international service to their African hubs.

While getting to the continent may be easier than ever, moving around Africa often times remains a challenge.

Ethiopian Airlines, however, is seeking to alleviate some of that pain. The airline has announced it is looking to establish new hub airports in southern Africa, Central Africa and the Horn, in order to better connect neighboring countries, and further develop trade and tourism within the continent.

“We are working with Malawi and Zambia as southern Africa hubs,” said Tewelde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as reported by The East African. “Another hub would be in central Africa, covering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville and Chad. We are also in talks with neighboring Djibouti.”

“We have a successful hub in Togo—Asky Airline—in which we hold a 40 percent share,” said Tewelde. “Before we established Asky, the only way to travel to travel from Cote d’Ivoire to Benin was first to go to Paris and then from Paris to Benin.”

The remarks were made at a press event for the launch of a new Ethiopian Airlines app.

“We are not entering a joint venture with these African countries just for the sake of making money,” said Twelde. “Addis Ababa is a very successful hub. Out of the around 11 million passengers we transport every year, 70 percent are not entering Addis. They are transit passengers to other African countries and the rest of the world.”

"We are connecting Europe with Africa, the Middle East with Africa and Asia with Africa,” he said. “We want to expand this and be close to the customers. With a very large landmass and around one billion population, Africa has a high growth opportunity. By expanding the hubs, we will be contributing significantly to intra-Africa connectivity.”

The remarks come on the heels of a Nigerian Tribune interview with Esayas WoldeMariam, Managing Director, International Services of Ethiopian Airlines, who also echoed the airline’s vision for the future as it plans an expansion into Nigeria.

“One of Ethiopian Airlines’ strategies is to have multiple hubs in Africa connecting it with our main hub, Addis Ababa, as well as a hub to hub connections,” he said. “Next, to the main hub, Ethiopian Airlines has established its second and third hubs in Lomé (Togo) in partnership with ASKY Airlines. The third at Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawian Airlines.”

He also noted that creating a “more efficient intra-Africa network” was in line with the airline’s strategic roadmap, known as Vision 2025.

WoldeMariam also spoke of the challenges in expanding the airline’s network within Africa, including high fuel costs, high taxes and navigation fees, and poor infrastructure.

“Despite the challenges,” he said, “[Ethiopian Airlines] managed to remain successful, being the fastest growing airline in Africa.”

He also noted that the airline, in tandem with the African Union, AFCAC, AFRAA and other African carriers, is pushing for a comprehensive adoption of an African Civil Aviation Policy known as the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD), which would reform industry in Africa and help nations and carriers uniformly develop a continental open skies agreement.

Discussions of a universal adoption of the YD come just as some African nations also contemplate creating a borderless Africa, lessening the need for visas for intercontinental travel.

For Ethiopian Airlines, it’s all about establishing a “missing link.”

“As a Pan-African Airline, serving our beloved continent Africa has always been a source of pride for Ethiopian Airlines,” said WoldeMariam. “With this commitment, Ethiopian has been able to create a missing link, availing easy movement of Africans from one corner to the other.”

In 2017, Ethiopian Airlines added 12 new destinations with another 10 new destinations planned by June 2018. In North America, the airline serves Washington D.C., Toronto and Los Angeles.
 
#2,452 ·
Blue Swan Daily > South Pacific > Analysis > Airline Insight: Ethiopian Airlines Airline Insight: Ethiopian Airlines

January 9, 2018

Ethiopian Airlines
Each day this year, The Blue Swan Daily uses the extensive insights available to CAPA – Centre for Aviation members to deliver a data snapshot on the world’s largest airlines and airports. Today, we feature East African carrier Ethiopian Airlines (IATA:ET; ICAO:ETH).
The flag carrier of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa-based Ethiopian Airlines is the exception to the rule and one of the few profitable airlines on the African continent, a market that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts will post collective annual losses of over USD100 million last year, with a similar predicted deficit in 2018 because of high operating costs and restrictive aviation policies of most African countries.
Having established its Bole International Airport base as a regional hub in East Africa, and successfully expanded into West Africa through its Togo-based ASKY venture, the airline is now working to establish itself as a true pan-African operator offering networks out of Malawi and Zambia, with plans to also establish a Central African hub covering Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo.
“We are not entering a joint venture with these African countries just for the sake of making money. By expanding the hubs, we will be contributing significantly to intra- Africa connectivity,” explained the airline’s CEO Tewolde GebreMariam earlier this month.
NETWORK: According to flight schedules from OAG for the week commencing 08-Jan-2018, Ethiopian Airlines serves 112 global destinations, including 52 points across 37 African countries. It’s network spreads from Tokyo in the east, one of 13 points it serves across the Asia Pacific region, to Los Angeles in the west, one of five points it serves across the Americas. A further eleven markets across Europe and eleven more across the Middle East highlight the increasing connectivity offered by the airline. Its main base at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport accounts for 43.9% of its system seats, with Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) actually its second largest network point. The Addis Ababa – Dubai route is its largest by capacity ahead of the Addis Ababa – Nairobi the domestic Addis Ababa – Makale link and the Addis Ababa – Mumbai routes, while outside of its home environment, India is its largest market by departures and China its largest market by capacity.



FLEET: Ethiopian Airlines is in the middle of a major fleet renewal that has already seen the arrival of Airbus A350-900s, Boeing 777s – both 200LR and 300ER variants – and Boeing 787 Dreamliners to support its international operations. In recent months it has welcomed its first 787-9s to complement the smaller 787-8s that have served with the airline since Aug-2012. It is also one of only two airlines in the world to currently operate both the A350 and 787. In the short haul market it will replace its Next-Generation 737 fleet with modern MAX-8 versions, while a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 turboprop fleet is used on both domestic and some international routes. According to the CAPA Fleet Database its fleet currently comprises 87 aircraft with a further 50 on firm order including 30 737-8s and 18 more A350-900s. The fleet has an average age is 6.4 years and the majority of the fleet (51.7%) is leased.


CAPACITY: Ethiopian Airlines boosted its system capacity to 14.9 million annual seats in 2017 following a year over year rise of +14.5% versus 2016. It has almost doubled (+95.6%) its inventory since 2012 and reported annual gains throughout this period. Its rate of growth in 2017 was up on 2016 (+12.1%) but down on the levels enjoyed in 2014 (+19.2%) and 2015 (+16.2%).

TRAFFIC: Annual reports from Ethiopian Airlines show the carrier has more than quadrupled its passenger numbers over the past ten years from 1.76 million in 2005/2006 (the airline’s year runs to 30-Jun) to 7.6 million in 2015/2016. It now plans to almost treble that again over the next ten years with a forecast to hit 22 million by 2025. This will be achieved through growing frequencies to existing destinations and adding new markets. It has already confirmed it will commence flights to Barcelona, Geneva and Buenos Aires this year, linked to existing routes to Madrid, Milan and Sao Paulo, respectively, while Shenzhen and Chongqing in China are under consideration as well as Istanbul and Jakarta among others.
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