From Addis Ababa to Awassa, I flew on a de Havilland Dash 8-400 operated by Ethiopian Airlines in economy class. At only 133 miles, it was a very short and uneventful flight. Ethiopian Airlines Q400 Economy Class Review (ADD-AWA) I was traveling on a separate ticket from Addis Ababa to Awassa, which cost 178 USD […]
Review: Ethiopian Airlines Domestic Lounge Addis Ababa (ADD)

Ahead of our flight to Awassa, we spent about an hour in the Ethiopian Airlines Lounge in the Addis Ababa domestic terminal. Ethiopian Airlines Domestic Lounge Review – Addis Ababa (ADD) While Ethiopian operates two lounges, a Cloud 9 lounge for business class passengers and a Shebamiles Platinum Lounge for Star Alliance Gold members, in […]
Ethiopian Customs Tried To Tax Our Electronics More Than They Were Worth

After arriving in Ethiopia, we ran into an interesting but disappointing setback at the Ethiopian Customs Office at Bole Addis Ababa International Airport. A Customs Mess In Addis Ababa Airport Ethiopia is still a developing nation and while the country has enviably advanced in many ways, including with its flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines (100% government-owned […]
Review: Ethiopian Airlines A350-900 Business Class

After an unexpected upgrade, I enjoyed a restful overnight journey from London to Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines A350-900 in “Cloud 9” business class. Ethiopian Airlines A350-900 Business Class Review (LHR-ADD) You can read about my operational upgrade here. Boarding commenced at 8:00 pm, one hour prior to departure. Ethiopian Airlines 701 London (LHR) […]
My Operational Upgrade To Business Class On Ethiopian Airlines

For the first time in many years, I scored an operational upgrade from economy class to business class, this time on Ethiopian Airlines on a flight from London to Addis Ababa. I’m not sure I have a repeatable strategy that can be followed, but I thought it would be helpful to outline my experience. Business […]
Introduction: A Journey To Ethiopia On United Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines

Welcome to my next trip report, which will recount my springtime trip to Ethiopia, with flights on United Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines and a unique experience in two Ethiopian cities. Ethiopia Trip Report For this trip, I booked the following ticket on United Airlines for a cost of $2,634.50: Los Angeles – London on United […]
Pathetic: Lebanon Upset Over “Israeli” Ethiopian Airlines 787-9

Lebanese authorities were so incensed at seeing “Tel Aviv” on the side of an Ethiopian Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that Africa’s largest air carrier was forced to remove it before it could take off from Beirut. No folks, this is not The Onion…. Ethiopian Airlines 787-9 With “Tel Aviv” Written On Fuselage Not Welcome In […]
Ethiopian Airlines Suspends Pilots Accused Of Falling Asleep In-Flight

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. […]

