Ethiopian airline launches direct flights between Chennai-Addis Ababa, to operate thrice a week

African-carrier Ethiopian airline has launched direct flight connectivity between Chennai and Addis Ababa; Hyderabad, Ahmedabad may be next, reports PTI.

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Africa’s largest carrier Ethiopian airlines has launched direct flight connectivity between Chennai and Addis Ababa. The flight services will be operated three times a week, Chennai would be the fourth destination for the airline to connect after New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, a top official said on July 3.

"It is the fourth destination for us and the first connecting service after the pandemic. We were able to overcome the challenges in the last three years due to Covid-19 and are now on the growth path," Ethiopian Airlines chief commercial officer Lemma Yadecha Gudeta told PTI after unveiling the service.

The service's launch coincides with the 50th anniversary of uninterrupted flight service between Mumbai and Ethiopia, he said. According to him, Ethiopian Airlines besides opening the new route to Chennai, the airline would increase to double daily and ten weekly flights to the cities of Mumbai and New Delhi.

Gudeta said the company would operate the Boeing 737 on the Chennai-Addis Ababa route and target people taking tourism for medical treatment from Africa to southern parts of the country, students, and south Indians living in Africa.

Asked whether the airline was planning to connect other cities with Addis Ababa apart from Chennai, he replied in the affirmative saying Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad were 'under the radar.' Gudeta said the airliner was also planning to connect Colombo, Karachi, and Dhaka on the international routes.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Tourism M Mathiventhan through a video message said, "We look forward with the Ethiopian Airlines for any other future plans from Tamil Nadu and there are many people let it be students, businessmen and many patients travelling from Africa to Tamil Nadu for a cost-effective treatment."

"I think this flight (between Chennai-Addis Ababa) will really be helpful to all the sectors of people, not only to patients, students, and exporters but also to many other tourists," he said.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said, "We have been connecting Asia and Africa for 55 years now facilitating trade between the two continents. The addition of Chennai as a fourth passenger destination in India is a testimony of our resilience and unwavering commitment to serve our customers in India. We will continue to serve India with enhanced frequency and more destinations in the future," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)