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 couple weeks ago I booked a pair of business class awards for a client between Los Angeles and Cape Town. The flights between Los Angeles and Addis Ababa make a stop in Dublin, Ireland in both directions. This is a Fifth Freedom flight, meaning passengers can get on and off, but connecting passengers remain onboard during the layover. I reviewed business class (“Cloud 9”) from Dublin to Los Angeles last year and found it to be a nice product overall.
> Read More: Ethiopian Airlines 787-8 Business Class Dublin to Los Angeles Review
The couple wanted to book their son in economy class on the same flight. I figured that booking a revenue ticket would make more sense than using miles, but found something odd. Ethiopian was not offering the flight for sale. Nor did it appear available on online travel agencies like Kayak, Orbitz, or Momondo.
But there was award space on the flight, bookable through all Star Alliance partners. So we ended up using miles to book the economy class seat.
Two weeks later, the LAX flight is still not bookable on a revenue basis (versus using miles). And perhaps we know the reason why. Per Routes Online, Ethiopian is ending service to Los Angeles on 14 December 2018.
Ethiopian Airlines in this week’s schedule update adjusted service to Los Angeles, where it currently operates Addis Ababa – Dublin – Los Angeles route. Last flight for this 4 weekly flight is scheduled [for] 14DEC18, on board Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
ET504 ADD0125 – 0650DUB0750 – 1035LAX 788 x146
ET505 LAX2335 – 1735+1DUB1835+1 – 0525+2ADD 788 x146
Indeed, the flight has been removed from GDS systems. But here’s the odd thing. You can still use your United or Aeroplan miles to book this flight. I just pulled this up:
The reservations remain unchanged when pulled up on the Ethiopian Airlines website.
What Is Going On?
And while it is likely Ethiopian is just slow in updating its award inventory and schedule, this flight has been gone for a couple weeks. I’m not sure what the hold up is.
More importantly, Ethiopian is in a growing phase. I’ve written about their strategic acquisitions in Africa and it seems strange the airline would abandon Los Angeles with no official notice on its website.
Then again, Ethiopian is never great about giving notice…
The answer is not that the Dublin stop is being eliminated. The 787-8 serving Los Angeles cannot reach Addis nonstop due to its high altitude. Even a 777-200 would have trouble. Perhaps the flight will stop elsewhere?
CONCLUSION
I love a good airline mystery. If anyone has any greater insight into what is going on, let me know. I reached out to Ethiopian for an update but never heard back. The answer is probably simple: the system has not been updated. But for now you can book award space on Ethiopian to/from Los Angeles.
What do you expect will happen with your clients given the cancelled flight? Will they arrange for them to get to Cape Town another way (still in business?)
I’ll work with Aeroplan toward another routing if/once the cancellation is confirmed.
As per OMAAT, it is being canceled.
OMAAT cited the same source I did. I am questioning why it is still bookable through some channels and why Ehtiopian would give up this route.
“This is a Fifth Freedom flight, meaning passengers can get on and off, but connecting passengers remain onboard during the layover.” This implies just because the flight is fifth freedom that connecting passengers don’t get off the plane? While true in this case, that is not a hard and fast rule to my knowledge.
If you fly SFO-HKG-SIN on SQ, everybody needs to get off the plane in HKG.
Correct, but that is not the case with Ethiopian in Dublin. When I flew DUB-LAX, all the passengers from ADD had remained onboard.
this just saved me tears. I have been on the phone to ethiopian airlines for over a century on hold trying to seek information on why I suddenly see DUB on my itinerary after payments.
I will never fly with Etheopian airlines again
On returning from Malawi with my family March 2019 we had to change flights in Etheopian airport
After being move three times to different gates we finally moved from a large waiting area in to on a quarter of the size accessed by escalator we stepped on escalator but found we couldn’t get of as there were too many people in waiting area
I was pushed to the floor hurting my back /neck /arm etc luckily another passenger (male) pulled me up off the floor Otherwise I believe I would have been crushed .I wished I had taken the young mans name but I was in pain and shock I informed staff but they said I would have to put it in writing which I did only to be told they don’t have CCTV in the area of the accident So they didn’t give me any compensation or even a proper apology
What a joke No CCTV in an airport It must be the only airport in the world with no CCTV
That’s bad news for the West Coast. I’ve got this flight booked to NBO this summer, and liked having options to get to Africa.
More bad news for LAX.
Was Ethiopian able to sell LAX-Dublin flights and complete with Aer Lingus?
Yes pal, I even posted a review above.
Ethiopians- beautiful and amazing people.
Natia Munene.
Reports suggest the flight will route through LOS in future. I don’t know how good the info is but I’ve read it in a few places. The routing will be much shorter.
That would be interesting.
Airline Route is now reporting that the flight is open for sale again, just now with no local traffic rights on the LAX-DUB sectors.
https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/281078/ethiopian-airlines-re-opens-los-angeles-bookings-from-mid-dec-2018-dublin-changes/
Dear Matthew
I have booked my husband on United Awards business class flight SMF-LAX-DUB return Dec 21-Jan 4. The LAX-DUB leg is with Ethiopian. I have not received any communication from United indicating that there is a problem. Should I wait for them to contact me or raise it as an issue? Is United required to honor this booking irrespective of Ethiopian’s change of policy? I cannot see why I should have to cancel and rebook since they have entered into a contract with me to provide a business class seat to DUB on that date.
Any insight would be much appreciated
Hi Martina,
Eventually you will have to rebook, but United will be on the hook. They’ll likely rebook you to SMF-ORD-DUB, all on United, at no charge.
Thanks Matthew – That is the reassurance that I was looking for – United being on the hook for the rebook! I guess that I need to initiate the discussion rather than waiting for them!
Help! I’m taking a group o 7 volunteers lax to nbo Jan 6th in Business through the united award. Are you saying that this route will be canceled? The other question, now moot, is will ET ever have the flat bed seats from LAX to ADD? It’s so hard to determine which aircraft even when I flew from JFK. Any ideas? I need flat beds.
thanks