Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is adding flights between its African hub and Chinese cities and plans to add direct flights between Addis Ababa and Tokyo, senior official has said.
CEO of the Airliner Tewolde Gebremariam told reporters on Friday that the airliner will increase its weekly flights between the Ethiopian capital and Chinese cities to 50, up from 35. The expansion is aimed at meeting the increasing demand for flights to Africa from Chinese business people, investors and tourists.
The airline also plans to beef up its Japan services by connecting Tokyo with Addis Ababa seven times a week by 2021. It currently offers the service five times a week, with a transfer in Seoul.
The new service will be direct and use Tokyo’s Haneda Airport rather than the current Narita Airport, in Chiba Prefecture.
Ethiopian flies to 60 cities in more than 40 countries and uses Addis Ababa Bole International Airport as its hub.
The airport is also a gateway to the rest of Africa. “Connections in Addis are very short, about two hours,” Tewolde said. “It is the fastest [transfer point] to any African country.”
The airline is already negotiating with China to increase flights to Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and other cities. Flights to Guangzhou will be increased to 14 per week from 10.
Elsewhere, the airline will add two more flights between its African hub and Singapore and is endeavoring to gain access to Vietnam.
MG/abj/APA