Ethiopian Express will start 4 weekly flight Service to Hawassa (AWA) - 12 April , 2016

Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Express, the Domestic Strategic Business Unit of the Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Group is pleased to announce that it is ready to stretch its wings with 4 weekly flight services to Hawassa with the Q-400 aircraft as of 16 April 2016.

The flight to Hawassa, which will become the 20th domestic destination, is scheduled to be on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday as per the programme below.  

Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, said, “The opening of the route is in line with Ethiopian’s Vision 2025 where we pledge to offer international standard services for domestic travelers at the lowest possible cost but with differentiated services to connect our domestic cities with Addis Ababa and other neighboring regional and international cities. Today, Ethiopian Express covers 19 domestic points, which is the largest domestic network in Africa. As the national flag carrier of Ethiopia, we have a national obligation to play a critical role in the country’s broad-based, decentralized and all-inclusive socio-economic development endeavour by providing essential air connectivity.Ethiopian Express is one of the strategic businesses units of Ethiopian Airlines Group and was established in accordance with the Vision 2025 strategic roadmap with a view to cater to the growing domestic and regional travel needs.

“With the region's growing investment and tourism industry, passengers from Hawassa and business and leisure travellers from all over the world making transfer flights to Hawassa, will be able to enjoy the smooth and hassle-free travel experience.

“Hawassa is one of the tourist destinations in the country with resorts and hotels. Stretching our wings to this vibrant city will have multiple advantages. Set on the shore of the eponymous Lake Hawassa, a mosaic of diverse cultures, traditions and languages, Ethiopian’s flight to the city will accelerate the business and tourism flow.”  

Mr. Tewolde added that the Hawassa Industrial Park has a 300 ha. Eco-Park housing textile and garment products, agro-processing, food, hide and skins, fruits and vegetable factories, and is fully integrated into the city. Moreover Investment in hotels and lodges is on the rise. The city is a two times award winner for best city for tourism, investment and residence, by the Ministry of Works and Urban Development.

Coffee is the most important cash crop of the region, which also produces maize, teff, enset, potatos, and wheat. The new flight will heighten the economic atmosphere of the region.”

The route will facilitate travel for the business community - both private and government -, university students, lecturers coming from other parts of Ethiopia and abroad, tourists visiting Hawassa and the surrounding attractions, and for those who need to travel to the city for conferences, or to visit family and friends.

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seven decades of operations, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to 92 international destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with seven business centres: Ethiopian Domestic and Regional Airline; Ethiopian International Passenger Airline; Ethiopian Cargo; Ethiopian MRO; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering Services; and Ethiopian Ground Service. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

For more information about this press release, please contact:

Mrs. Hanna Atnafu

Manager Corporate Communications

Ethiopian Airlines

Tel: (251-1) 517-89-07/656/165/913/529

publicrelations@ethiopianairlines.com

www.ethiopianairlines.com

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