Ethiopian Airlines facts for kids
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| Founded | 21 December 1945 |
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| Commenced operations | 8 April 1946 |
| Hubs |
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| Secondary hubs |
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| Frequent-flyer program | ShebaMiles |
| Alliance | Star Alliance |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 145 |
| Destinations | 155 passenger, 68 cargo |
| Parent company | Ethiopian Government (100%) |
| Headquarters | Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  (6.1 billion USD) ETB 330 billion(FY 2023) |
| Net income | ETB 1.049 billion(FY 2012) |
| Profit |  (800 million USD) ETB 44.5 billion(FY 2023) |
| Total assets | ETB 26.368 billion(FY 2012) |
| Total equity | ETB 2.772 billion(FY 2012) |
| Employees | 18,000 (November 2023) |
Ethiopian Airlines is the main airline of Ethiopia. It is fully owned by the Ethiopian government. The airline started on December 21, 1945, and began flying on April 8, 1946. By 1951, it was already flying to other countries. In 1965, it became a share company and changed its name from Ethiopian Air Lines to Ethiopian Airlines.
Ethiopian Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, a big group of airlines, which it joined in December 2011. Its motto is 'The New Spirit of Africa'. The airline's main base and offices are at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. From there, it flies to 155 passenger places and 68 cargo places around the world. It also has smaller bases in Togo and Malawi. Ethiopian Airlines is the largest airline in Africa. It carries the most passengers, flies to the most places, has the biggest fleet of planes, and earns the most money. It's also the fourth-largest airline in the world by the number of countries it serves.
Contents
History of Flight
Starting in the 1940s
After Ethiopia was freed during World War II, Emperor Haile Selassie I wanted to create an airline. He asked the United States, the United Kingdom, and France for help. He hoped a good national airline would show that Ethiopia was modernizing. In 1945, Ethiopia worked with American airline companies to set up its own airline.
The airline, first called Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL), began on December 21, 1945. The Ethiopian government owned it completely. The company was managed by an American airline called TWA. At first, many pilots, technicians, and managers were American. The first Ethiopian chairman was Fitawrari Tafasse Habte Mikael. The airline bought five Douglas C-47 planes, which arrived in February 1946.
The first official flight was on April 8, 1946. It flew from Addis Ababa to Asmara and then to Cairo. This route became a weekly flight. Soon, the airline added flights to Aden and Djibouti, and a local flight to Jimma. By 1949, the airline was making a profit.
Growing in the 1950s: Longer Flights Begin
In 1950, Ethiopian Airlines got a loan to buy Convair CV-240 planes for international flights. These planes started flying in January 1951 to places like Cairo, Nairobi, and Karachi. By 1952, the airline had two Convair-Liners and nine Douglas DC-3s. Its flight network was about 7,000 miles long.
In 1954, a new flight to Athens started. The airline also opened its own maintenance center in 1955. To fly even further, Ethiopian Airlines bought two Douglas DC-6B planes in 1956. These larger planes helped the airline expand its routes.
By 1958, Ethiopian Airlines started a new flight connecting Addis Ababa and Athens, via Cairo. This route was later extended to Frankfurt in Germany and Nairobi in Kenya. In 1959, Ethiopian Airlines joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global airline group.
The Jet Age: 1960s and 1970s
In 1960, the airline ordered two Boeing 720B jet planes. These jets were chosen because they could handle the hot and high conditions of some Ethiopian airports. The first jet service began on January 15, 1963, with a flight to Nairobi. Soon after, jet flights started to Madrid and Frankfurt.
The airline also decided to build a new airport, Bole International Airport, to handle these new jet planes. This airport became the airline's main base. In 1965, the company officially changed its name to Ethiopian Airlines.
By 1971, Ethiopian Airlines was fully managed and staffed by Ethiopian people, without foreign help. In the 1970s, the airline continued to grow its fleet, adding Boeing 727s to replace older planes.
Modern Growth: 1980s to Today
In the 1980s, Ethiopian Airlines became the first African airline to order the Boeing 767. On June 1, 1984, the first Boeing 767-200ER flew non-stop from Washington, D.C. to Addis Ababa, setting a new distance record for a twin-engine jet. The airline also added ATR 42s and Boeing 737-200s to its fleet.
In the 1990s, Ethiopian Airlines was the first passenger airline to receive the Boeing 757 Freighter. It also added new destinations like Bangkok, Beijing, and Johannesburg. The airline launched its frequent-flyer program, "Sheba Miles," named after the legendary Queen of Sheba.
In the 2000s, Ethiopian Airlines continued to update its fleet with newer planes like the Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 767-300ER. It was also the first African airline to order the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. In December 2011, Ethiopian Airlines officially joined the Star Alliance, one of the world's largest airline alliances.
How the Airline Works
Management and Ownership
Ethiopian Airlines is fully owned by the Government of Ethiopia. The current CEO is Mesfin Tasew, who started in March 2022. The airline has always been known for being well-managed, even when there were challenges in Ethiopia. Unlike some other government-owned airlines, Ethiopian Airlines has focused on running like a successful business.
The airline has kept buying modern planes from Western countries, even when the government had strong ties with the Soviet Union. This helped it maintain a good reputation for maintenance and training. It has often been one of the most profitable airlines in Africa.
In 2018, the Ethiopian government said it might sell some parts of the airline to private companies, but it would keep most of the ownership. This plan was put on hold in 2020.
Organization and Services
In 2017, the Ethiopian government organized the airline into a larger aviation group. This group includes the passenger airline, cargo and logistics services, an aviation academy, catering services, and maintenance and repair services (MRO). The MRO services are the largest in Africa and the Middle East. The Aviation Academy, now an Aviation University, trains pilots and other aviation professionals.
Ethiopian Airlines has its main office at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. They plan to build a new, larger head office complex there in the future.
Future Plans and Achievements
Ethiopian Airlines has set big goals for itself. In 2005, it launched "Vision 2010" to increase passengers, revenue, and employees. It met all these goals ahead of time. Then, in 2010, it started "Vision 2025," aiming for an even larger fleet, more destinations, and more passengers. It achieved these goals by 2018, much earlier than planned.
Now, Ethiopian Airlines has a new plan called "Vision 2035." It aims to almost double its fleet to 271 planes and increase its international destinations to 207. It also wants to carry 65 million passengers by 2035. The goal is to become one of the top 20 aviation groups in the world.
In 2020, the airline announced plans to build a huge new airport near Bishoftu, south of Addis Ababa. This airport will be able to handle 100 million passengers a year. Even though the current Bole International Airport was expanded in 2019, the new airport is needed for future growth. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport became the busiest airport in Africa for international travel in 2018.
At the Dubai Air Show in 2023, Ethiopian Airlines made the largest order for Boeing planes in African history. This included 737 MAXs and 787-9s. They also ordered more Airbus A350s. The airline's CEO stated that they are confident in the safety of the 737 MAX after its design issues were fixed. A report in 2023 named Ethiopian Airlines as one of the world's top 50 most valuable airline brands and the fastest-growing airline brand globally.
Working with Other Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines forms partnerships with other airlines to expand its reach.
- In 2013, it bought 49% of Malawi Airlines, helping to launch the new airline.
- In 2018, it partnered with the Zambian government to restart Zambia Airways, owning 45% of it. This helps make Lusaka a flight hub for Southern Africa.
- It also partnered with the Guinean government to create Guinea Airlines.
- Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services has a joint company with DHL to handle ground logistics across Africa. They are building a large e-commerce hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
- The airline has also partnered with MailAmericas to improve cross-border e-commerce services.
Ethiopian Airlines is also building aerospace manufacturing facilities. It has a joint venture with South Africa's Aerosud to design and make aircraft parts. In 2023, it signed a deal with Boeing to build a new hangar in Addis Ababa for manufacturing aerospace parts. These efforts help the airline become more self-sufficient and create jobs.
Where Ethiopian Airlines Flies
As of June 2023, Ethiopian Airlines flies to 133 international and 22 domestic passenger places. It also serves 68 cargo destinations. It flies to 63 cities in Africa, more than any other airline. Some of its busiest routes include Addis Ababa to Dubai, Johannesburg, Guangzhou, Nairobi, and Beijing.
The airline has expanded its network to include cities in Latin America, Asia, and North America. New destinations added in recent years include Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, Vienna, Doha, Tokyo-Narita, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Buenos Aires.
Airline Partnerships
Alliances
Ethiopian Airlines joined Star Alliance in December 2011. This alliance helps passengers connect easily to many destinations around the world through partner airlines.
Ethiopian Airlines has agreements with many other airlines. This means you can book a flight with Ethiopian Airlines, but part of your journey might be on a partner airline's plane. This makes travel smoother for passengers.
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air Côte d'Ivoire
- Air Europa
- Air India
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- ASKY Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Azul
- EgyptAir
- El Al
- Flynas
- ITA Airways
- Kuwait Airways
- LAM Mozambique Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Malawi Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Oman Air
- RwandAir
- Saudia
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SriLankan Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
Planes Ethiopian Airlines Uses
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Ethiopian Airlines has been a leader in Africa for adopting new aircraft. It was the first African airline to order and fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 777-200LR. It was also the first in Africa to operate the Airbus A350.
In November 2023, Ethiopian Airlines placed a large order for 31 Boeing planes, including 20 737 MAXs and 11 787-9s. They also ordered 11 more Airbus A350s. In March 2024, they agreed to buy eight 777-9 passenger planes, becoming the first African customer for this new model. The airline's entire fleet is valued at about $5.25 billion, making up about 32% of Africa's total airline fleet value.
What it's Like to Fly
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Ethiopian Airlines offers two main classes on most flights: Cloud Nine (Business Class) and Economy Class.
Food and Drinks
On all flights, passengers get complimentary food and drinks. The type of meal depends on how long the flight is and the time of day. You can also ask for special meals if you have specific dietary needs.
In-flight Entertainment
Cloud Nine (Business Class)
In Cloud Nine, passengers get comfortable seats and a variety of reading materials. On Boeing 777-200LR flights, there are sleeper seats and on-demand movies and music on 15.4-inch screens with 85 channels.
Economy Class
Economy Class passengers receive meals and amenities based on the flight length. On Boeing 777-200LR flights, there are reclining seats and on-demand entertainment with 80 channels on 8.9-inch screens.
Airport Lounges
At Bole International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines has two lounges for passengers. Cloud Nine passengers can use the Cloud Nine Lounge, which has computers and Wi-Fi. Members of the ShebaMiles frequent flyer program with Gold or Silver status can use the Sheba Miles Lounge. Staff are available in both lounges to help passengers.
Safety and Incidents
Ethiopian Airlines is committed to safety. Like all airlines, it has experienced incidents over its long history. The airline works closely with aviation authorities to ensure the highest safety standards.
See also
In Spanish: Ethiopian Airlines para niños
- List of airlines of Ethiopia
- Transport in Ethiopia
