By Sam Okwakol
Addis Ababa — Ethiopian Airlines recently marked its 70th anniversary and announced that it will commence scheduled thriceweekly flights to New York-Newark from Addis Ababa on July 3 writes SAM OKWAKOL.
Ethiopian will be deploying the modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner on this route, the world’s most environmentally friendly aircraft with its lower carbon and noise emissions.
Ethiopian’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner is configured with 24 business class and 246 economy seats, all of which are equipped with Ethiopian’s renowned audio-visual inflight entertainment consoles.
In his anniversary remarks, Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde Gebremariam said, “Seventy years is a long time, but Ethiopian is still young, strong, forward looking and ready to contribute its own share of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena in line with the African Union agenda 2063.”
He said: “Ethiopian airlines employees, the management and the board of Directors have been demonstrating unique levels of dedication and commitment to their airline and this is the main success factor in the last 70 years, we take this opportunity to recognize and thank all of our employees; present and past for their extraordinary hard work and success.
“We have been competing and winning every business of our customers in the hyper competitive global airline industry in the last 70 years, and we are prepared to do so now more than ever in the past. We thank our more than 7 million annual passengers for their strong vote of confidence in choosing to fly with us and for their loyalty and support,” he said.
New York-Newark becomes Ethiopian’s 93rd international gateway and fourth gateway in North America. Ethiopian currently operates daily nonstop flights from Washington DC to Addis Ababa, as well as three weekly nonstop flights from Toronto to Addis Ababa and three weekly flights from Los Angeles to Addis Ababa via Dublin.
Source: East African Business Week
