On Ethiopian wings

It is hard to miss the “The New Spirit of Africa” on billboards and aircraft when in a capital city airport in Africa, that is because Ethiopian Airlines has been dominating the continent’s airspace market. It has become a de facto and or preferred choice due to its increasing destination options. It is undeniably a growing company that is pushing forth Africa as a major international competitor.

Ethiopian Airlines was founded in 1945 by the initiative of Emperor Haile Selassie who wanted to bring modernity to his country. The airline, owned by the Government of Ethiopia, became a share company in 1965 and employs more than 17,000 people. It is the largest airline in Africa and serves 136 passenger destinations adding new routes every year.  The headquarters is located in Addis Ababa and has three hubs in Malawi, Togo, and Zambia. Bole International Airport as the main hub serves over 22 million passengers every year [1]. On the global airspace, Ethiopian Airlines is a member of Star Alliance alongside other major global airlines. The airline was also a majority shareholder of the Tchadia, the Chadian national airline and a current shareholder of Asky, an airline serving West and Central Africa. 

Transiting through Addis, there is always a bustle of passengers heading towards all corners of the world. I remember about 10 to 12 years ago, the demographic at the airport was mainly Africans. As the routes increase, we now see people from all nationalities beyond Africa using the airline on intra- and inter-continental flights and the size of the airport has doubled. On a recent trip, it was interesting to see the number of passengers on a short one-hour flight between Buenos Aires Argentina, and Sao Paolo Brazil showing the use of the airline even in sub-regional travel in Latin America.

An interesting touch of the African spirit is the use of Amharic as a principal language of service announcements in all of the flights. It brings me closer to home while in the air and makes me realize that I am on board an African aircraft even when in airspaces beyond the continent.

Like many international airlines, it has aspects that could be improved. On legs within the continent, flights have overnight layovers where food and accommodation are provided by the company. These are often less than ideal, tiring and some hotels are far from the airport and of dubious quality.  Furthermore, the quality of food and beverage service on some legs within the continent is sometimes of a lower standard compared to cross-continental legs.

Keeping the wider picture in mind, the company remains a symbol of progress in easing travel from one African city to another and connecting the continent with the world. It shows no sign of slowing down as routes are added, new aircraft models are acquired, and innovative features are introduced in an effort to make passengers more comfortable. I always look forward to new routes and am eager to see countries such as New Zealand, Azerbaijan, and Chile on the list.

The hope remains that Ethiopian Airlines will continue to grow and improve pushing Africa further into the global arena of cultural influence, business, and airspace competition. Amidst Africa’s challenges, there is a side of the story: growth and innovation. As included in its slogan, Ethiopian Airlines is a spirit of Africa taking the continent into new air ventures connecting it to the world.

Deborah Melom Ndjerareou