Ethiopian Airlines has offered a diplomatic statement that neither confirms nor denies that two of its pilots fell asleep and overshot the runway in Addis Ababa, raising concerns over safety and pilot fatigue. However, the statement does that the pilots have been relieved of duty pending an investigation. Ethiopian Airlines Responds To Report That Pilots […]
Report: Ethiopian Airlines Used As A Tool Of War
Ethiopian Airlines has been accused of transporting weapons from Ethiopia to Eritrea during the civil war in Tigray. The allegations, if proven true, could have devastating commercial ramifications for Africa’s largest and most profitable airline. Ethiopian Airlines Allegedly Used To Transport Weapons To Eritrea During Tigray Civil War A CNN Exclusive lays out the case, […]
Exclusive: Nigerian Consulate Responds To Ethiopian Airlines Ticket Scalping Incident
The Nigerian Consulate in Atlanta has responded to the Ethiopian Airlines ticket “scalping” incident in Houston, denying wrongdoing and dismissing reports concerning the flight. Nigerian Consulate: No Scalping, No Standbys On Ethiopian Airlines Repatriation Flight From Houston To Lagos. Earlier this week I shared a story circulating in Nigerian media about a repatriation flight gone […]
Ethiopian Airlines Flight Delayed Eight Hours In Houston While Nigerian Officials Scalp Tickets To Highest Bidders
Nigerians trying to return home encountered a taste of home in Houston after Nigerian officials delayed their Ethiopian Airlines repatriation flight to Lagos for eight hours while trying to scalp every last ticket onboard. Bedlam In Houston As Nigerian Officials Scalp Tickets On Ethiopian Airlines Repatriation flights are a lucrative business, both for the airlines […]
Why Does Ethiopian Airlines Want To Invest In South African Airways?
Ethiopian Airlines is open to the idea of investing in South African Airways. In fact, it sees it as part of a broader strategy to save aviation in Africa. Not only has South African Airways (SAA) not reported profit since 2011, it is not reporting anything this year…as it scrambles raise cash, it has delayed […]
Ethiopian Airlines Blasts FAA For Protecting Boeing, May Never Fly 737 Again
Ethiopian Airlines is disputing statements from a Federal Aviation Administration official this week, alleging that the FAA is trying to divert blame from Boeing. Ethiopian’s CEO also suggested that his airline is in no rush to resume flying the 737 MAX and may never do so again. Acting FAA administrator Daniel K. Elwell appeared before […]
An Explosive New Theory On The Ethiopian 737 MAX Crash
A new and detailed theory suggests that a potential bird strike plus pilot error, coupled with faulty sensors, resulted in the ET302 crash. I’ve been following the ET302 crash closely as we all try to better understand what happened and how to prevent it in the future. Pointing fingers will not bring back lives. After Boeing […]
Ethiopian Lodges Lethal Charge Against Boeing
Ethiopian Airlines has released a preliminary report on the deadly crash of ET 302, placing the blame squarely on Boeing. At a news conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transportation Dagmawit Moges leveled this damning assertion: The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft. […]
Ethiopian Airlines “Believes In Boeing”
Ethiopian Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam was either unequivocally supportive or a master manipulator of words in recent statements about Boeing. Addressing the two-week mark since the crash of ET 302, Gebremariam stated: Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years. More than two-thirds […]
Ethiopian Captain Never Had 737 MAX Simulator Training
Yared Getachew, the captain onboard doomed Ethiopian Flight 302, never had Boeing 737 Max 8 simulator training, despite Ethiopian Airlines’ acquisition of a simulator months earlier. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, insiders at Ethiopian told the New York Times that Ethiopian had a Boeing 737 MAX 8 simulator up and running in January, but […]
Is Ethiopian Airlines Abandoning LAX?
Here’s a mystery perhaps we can solve together. I book Award Expert clients on Ethiopian Airlines to/from Africa all the time. The airline is very generous in releasing award space and has an unparalleled route network within Africa. It also now serves many key cities in the USA, including Los Angeles…at least for now. A […]
Review: Ethiopian NEW 787 Business Class Addis Ababa to Bangkok
This review will be shorter than my previous two longhaul Ethiopian Business Class trip reports, focusing primarily on the new 787-8 lie-flat business class seat. Ethiopian Airlines has two different business class seats on its 787-8. Both are configured in a 2-2-2 layout, thus it is generally impossible to know beforehand what kind of business […]
Review: Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge Addis Ababa (ADD)
I returned to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport about 90 minutes before my flight to Bangkok, giving me about 20 minutes in the lounge prior to boarding. As you pass exit immigration and proceed upstairs, you’ll come to a Sheba Miles Platinum Lounge. Unless you have platinum status with Ethiopian, this is NOT your lounge. […]
A Guide to Ethiopian Airlines’ Free Transit Hotel
If your layover in Addis Ababa is between 8-24 hours, chances are you can score a free hotel room courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines during your long layover. Not everyone with a transit between 8-24 hours will receive a free hotel voucher. Note these exceptions. You must be transiting from an Ethiopian Airlines international flight to […]
Review: Ethiopian Airlines 787 Business Class Toronto to Addis Ababa
While my 13hr flight on Ethiopian Airlines featured old-school business class seats, the warm service and tasty food made up for it. After a great stay at the Park Hyatt Toronto, I took the Pearson Express to the airport, arriving about two hours before the flight. Check-in lines were minimal and I was the only […]
Review: Ethiopian Airlines 787-8 Business Class Dublin to Los Angeles
Ethiopian Airlines’ Fifth Freedom service from Dublin to Los Angeles featured an outdated seat in business class, but genuinely friendly service and a great meal. Ethiopian Airlines runs a bustling operation in Dublin, Ireland. Flights to Washington, New York, and Toronto all make technical stops in DUB. But Ethiopian only has pickup rights in Dublin […]
Introduction: Adventures on Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways
Two so-called mistake fares. One mega trip. It was a hard-fought battle, but eventually I prevailed and successfully reinstated my discounted business class ticket on Ethiopian Airlines. Soon thereafter, Qatar Airways published an amazing business class fare between Ho Chi Minh City and New York. Stitching the two legs together, I would fly to SE […]
Finally, Lie-Flat Beds on My Ethiopian Airlines Flight!
I’m pleased to report that my connecting Ethiopian 787 flight from Addis Ababa to Bangkok featured Ethiopian’s new fully lie-flat beds. But did it lead to a restful flight? The flight departed from a remote stand and bus boarding was a free-for-all, with passengers pushing and shoving to get onboard and no separate line for […]
13 Long Hours on Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines has a lot going for it, but the lack of lie-flat seating makes it difficult for me to wholeheartedly endorse it. I’ve also realized something—internet is what I value most of all on a flight. Service was exceptional on the 13-hour 787-8 flight from Toronto to Addis Ababa on Tuesday. From the champagne […]
A Delicious Ethiopian Meal on Ethiopian Airlines
I mentioned it briefly in my first thoughts on flying Ethiopian Airlines, but want to focus on an unexpectedly delicious Ethiopian meal on Ethiopian Airlines for my Meal of the Week post this week. Airline food is still airline food, but I’ve found over the years that you are better off ordering “local” cuisine (when […]