In a strategic move to reinforce its global presence, Ethiopian Airlines Group recently inaugurated its 136th destination with the addition of London/Gatwick (LGW), United Kingdom, on November 21, 2023. As part of its Vision 2035 initiative, the airline aims to further expand its network with new launches in the coming months.
The company seeks to position Addis Ababa (ADD), Ethiopia, as a major hub, aspiring to compete with airlines such as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines in both the number of destinations and fleet size.
Lemma Yadecha, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Ethiopian Airlines Group, highlighted the airline’s rapid growth through the acquisition of new aircraft and the expansion of destinations. In 2023 alone, the airline recovered or added twelve key destinations across all continents:
- Africa: Ouagadougou (OUA), Burkina Faso; Bangui (BGF), Central African Republic; Bosaso (BSA), Somalia; Ndola (NLA), Zambia.
- Asia: Chengdu (TFU), China; Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Malaysia; Singapore (SIN).
- North America: Atlanta (ATL), United States.
- Europe: Copenhagen (CPH), Denmark; London/Gatwick (LGW), United Kingdom.
- Middle East: Medina (MED), Saudi Arabia; Karachi (KHI), Pakistan.
Bahrain (BAH) will be added on December 2, followed by the resumption of Madrid (MAD), Spain, on December 9, with three and four weekly flights, respectively. Both destinations had been temporarily suspended.
Flights to Madrid will include a stopover in Rome (FCO), Italy, and will be operated with Boeing 787-9 aircraft, offering a weekly capacity of 2,520 seats. The last time Ethiopian Airlines operated in the Spanish capital was in January 2020.
New Unprecedented Destinations
The Chief Commercial Officer hinted at new destinations in several regions, dependent on the delivery of new aircraft in 2024. Ethiopian Airlines aims to increase its destinations to 207 and reach a fleet of 271 aircraft as part of its Vision 2035 initiative.
With approximately 147 aircraft currently in operation, the state-owned airline closed a deal with Boeing during the Dubai Air Show, securing up to 67 aircraft, including 11 787 Dreamliners and 20 737 MAX, with an option for 36 additional aircraft. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 11 Airbus A350-900s was signed.
Expansion in Europe
The European market is of significant importance to Ethiopian, especially for connecting passengers between Africa and Europe, focusing on Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania. Currently, the airline operates in 18 European cities.
The airline is considering flights to Lisbon (LIS), Portugal, and Amsterdam (AMS), Netherlands, though facing challenges at both airports due to slot availability issues.
Finally to Australia?
Australia, accounting for 5% of African-descent immigrants, emerges as another crucial market. Currently, only Qantas operates between Johannesburg and Sydney, and Air Mauritius between Mauritius and Perth.
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