The new Addis Ababa–Istanbul thrice-weekly flight program to link more than 16 destinations in Africa with Turkey, says Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam
By Addis Getachew Tadesse (Anadolu Agency)
Ethiopian Airlines on Monday (1st April 2019) inaugurated thrice-weekly flights to Istanbul Atatürk Airport (Istanbul, Turkey) – a major route for the largest airlines in Africa coming after a fatal crash in March involving Boeing 737 Max 8 left all 158 passengers and crew perished.
The accident did not affect the carrier’s operations, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam told Anadolu Agency at the event.
“Istanbul is a global strategic hub for aviation in the world,” Ato Tewolde said, adding that Turkish investment in Africa amounted to a total of $6 billion of which Ethiopia received $2.5 billion.
“Ethiopia is a strategic partner for Turkey,” he said.
The new thrice-weekly flights would “link more than 16 destinations in Africa with Turkey,” he said, adding all corners of Africa would be touched under this operation.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Yaprak Alp and the Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs Birtukan Ayano Dadi.
Ambassador Alp for her part said the relations between Ethiopia and Turkey involved trade and investment.
“This new flight to Istanbul will strengthen the people-to-people relations between the two countries,” she said.
Ethiopian Airlines’ Istanbul flight is its 19th destination in Europe and brings the carrier’s total number of international destinations up to 120.
“Our Istanbul route has been delayed, but it is better late than never,” the CEO quipped.
In related news, Ethiopian Airlines has been chosen as the Official Carrier for the 2019 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference to be held in Addis Ababa, May 1-3, 2019.
The conference is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union and the Government of Ethiopia under the theme ‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation’.
As the official carrier, Ethiopian Airlines will provide air transport service to the 1000-1500 participants who will be coming to Addis Ababa from around the globe.
Ato Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked,
“We are honored to have been chosen to serve as the official carrier for this year’s World Press Freedom Day Global Conference. We are all the more delighted to be part of this noble cause which seeks to advance press freedom around the world.
As a pan-African airline and the leading aviation group in the continent, Ethiopian has been serving as the Official Carrier for different regional and continental conferences held in African cities. As always, we will treat conference participants onboard our flights, to the best of our Four Star rated African flavored service. I would like to say to all World Press Freedom Day conference participants, welcome onboard!”
Global, regional and national media stakeholders, high-level government officials, and journalists from across the globe will take part in the conference which will be held at the African Union Commission headquarters.
Source: Anadolu Agency and Ethiopian Airlines