Airlines Ethiopian Airlines plans long-haul operations from Ivory Coast

In a press release, published by AIP, Ivory Coast Minister of Transport Amadou Konè states, the carrier plans to offer four weekly flights to US destinations beginning in May 2018.

First destinations will be New York, Washington Dulles and a third unnamed city. All flights will be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s.

The new flights will be the first connections between the Ivory Coast and North America. Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast have signed an agreement which includes the 5th freedom traffic rights in 2017. Air Cote d’Ivoire, the flag carrier of Ivory Coast, will provide feeder flights for the new long-haul connections.

In an interview with “The East African” newspaper, Tewelde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group said the company is planning to open several new hubs across Africa to offer better connections for the African countries.

Ethiopian Airlines holds a 40% stake in ASKY Airlines, a carrier based in Lomé, Togo. The carrier offers domestic and regional connection flights for the 5 weekly Ethiopian Airlines flights from Lomé to New York Newark.

Ethiopian Airlines was the second airlines, which announced new flights from Africa to the US in the last week. Kenya Airways has confirmed to connect its hub Nairobi with New York JFK.

The Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest airlines in Africa. With a fleet of 97 aircraft and an average age of 5 years the carrier operates one of the newest fleets in Africa

Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines is waiting for 59 ordered aircraft including 18 A350-900 and 30 B737 MAX 8.