Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, has launched flights to Spain capital city – Madrid. This brings the number of European destinations it plies to ten and its global routes to 83.
The airline said its flights to Madrid will be operated via Rome and will run three times a week to provide the best connectivity options between Spain and the Eastern African region.
CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam said the new route will also create opportunities to strengthen the Spanish’s bilateral relations and tourism ties with Africa. He described Spain as a major tourism originating and destination country whose link could help to further strengthen African trade and investment ties with foreign nations.
The airline’s expansion to Spain is part of its 15-year strategic plan, dubbed Vision 2025. This initiative will see it become a leading airline across its seven business units, which include Cargo, aviation school and its freight business.
To achieve this feat, the airline has also launched a new service to Bale Robe, a popular town in south-central Ethiopia known for its notable landmarks and longest system of caves in Africa. It intends to use this platform to boost tourism in the East African nation.
By September 10, the airline said it will also begin daily service to Kombolcha, an industrial terrain that has abundant steel product and textile factories whose products are exported to other parts of the world. The introduction of flights to Kombolcha and Bale Robe will bring the airline’s domestic destination to twenty.
