Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines
Airline	Ethiopian Airlines
Fleet size	140+
Destinations	130+
Parent	Government of Ethiopia
Founded	21 December 1945
Headquarters	Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Key people	Mesfin Tasew (CEO)
Hubs	Addis Ababa Bole International Airport
Frequent flyer	ShebaMiles
Alliance	Star Alliance
Website	https://www.ethiopianairlines.com/

Contents

History
Fleet
Destinations
Corporate affairs
Accidents and incidents
See also

Ethiopian Airlines is the flag carrier of Ethiopia and is among the largest and most consistently profitable airlines in Africa. Headquartered at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, it operates an extensive network of passenger and cargo services across the continent and to Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. The airline is a founding member of the Star Alliance and is renowned for its modern fleet, operational efficiency, and role as a major aviation training hub through its Ethiopian Aviation University.

History

The airline was established on 21 December 1945 by order of Emperor Haile Selassie, with assistance from Trans World Airlines (TWA). It commenced operations in April 1946 using Douglas DC-3 aircraft on a route linking Addis Ababa with Cairo via Asmara. A significant early milestone was the inauguration of service to Frankfurt in 1958 with a Douglas DC-6B, marking its entry into the European market. The jet age began with the introduction of the Boeing 720 in 1962, facilitating expansion across Africa and to India. Following the Ethiopian Revolution and the fall of the Derg regime, the airline underwent modernization and strategic growth, joining the Star Alliance in 2011. It has since pursued an aggressive fleet renewal and network expansion strategy, establishing itself as a dominant Pan-African connector.

Fleet

The airline operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets on the continent, comprising over 140 aircraft. It is a major customer for both Airbus and Boeing, with a mix of narrow-body and wide-body jets. The backbone of its short and medium-haul operations is the Boeing 737 Next Generation and the newer Boeing 737 MAX, alongside the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 for regional routes. For long-haul flights, its fleet includes the Airbus A350-900, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the Boeing 777. Its cargo division, a key profit center, operates dedicated freighters such as the Boeing 777 Freighter and the Boeing 737-800BCF.

Destinations

Its network spans more than 130 international and domestic destinations across five continents. The primary hub is Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, a major gateway between Africa and the world. In Africa, it serves more destinations than any other carrier, with key points including Nairobi, Accra, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Abidjan. Major intercontinental destinations include London, Frankfurt, Washington D.C., Toronto, São Paulo, Beijing, and Hong Kong. The airline has significantly expanded its presence in China and is developing Lomé as a secondary West African hub.

Corporate affairs

The airline is wholly owned by the Government of Ethiopia and is structured into several strategic business units: Ethiopian International Services, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, Ethiopian MRO Services, Ethiopian Aviation Academy, and Ethiopian Ground Services. Its management training center, the Ethiopian Aviation University, is one of the largest of its kind in Africa. The airline maintains numerous codeshare and interline agreements with partners like Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air Canada, and Singapore Airlines. Its frequent-flyer program is called ShebaMiles. The Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, located near its hub, is part of its diversified hospitality investments.

Accidents and incidents

The airline has experienced several significant accidents throughout its history. The deadliest occurred on 10 March 2019, when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX, crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board; this led to the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX fleet. Another major disaster was the loss of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 in 1996, a Boeing 767-200ER that was hijacked and crashed into the Indian Ocean near the Comoros after running out of fuel. Earlier tragedies include the 1988 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604, a Boeing 737-200, near Bahir Dar.