Ethiopian Airlines is to become the largest international airline servicing the Kotoka International Airport by frequency, effective March 26, when the airline starts four additional night flights to augment its existing daily (7) afternoon service.
The introduction of four additional flights to their existing 7 flights per week, is to allow the Addis Ababa-based airline to connect Accra to more African destinations. The additional flights will be operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
The increase in flight frequency will also allow the airline to provide more travel options to passengers’ on-board sister airline, ASKY Airlines, which seek to connect flights in Accra to various destinations in the world.
Last year, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) recorded a passenger load of 136,872, with an on-time performance of 82.12 percent. Per Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) data, ET was the 4th largest foreign operator by passenger load in 2022 only behind KLM, British Airways and Emirates.
The airline expects to make more gains in the Ghanaian market with the addition of the four additional convenient flights starting March 26. The four times weekly additional flights, which depart Accra in the evening, will bring the airline’s customers more convenient options to enjoy immediate connections to its vast intra-Africa network and to the Middle East, the Asian cities.
“We are increasing our frequency to Accra from seven to 11 flights. The seven flights will remain as they are. These flights provide connectivity for passengers originating from Ghana to the Middle East, Asia and Europe, because the flight departs from here (Accra) around mid-day, arrives in Addis Ababa in the evening, and all Ethiopian flights depart from Addis Ababa in the evening to Europe, North America Middle East and Asia.
“So the day flights connect Ghana with continents outside Ghana. However, we have extensive operations in Africa and we want to connect Ghanaians to African destinations. Unfortunately, our flights to Africa from Adds Ababa depart in the morning and we are adding four more flights departing in the evening and arriving at Addis Ababa in the morning to provide connectivity to African destinations, that is the objective of these additional flights,” Mr. Mesfin Tasew Bekele, Ethiopian Airlines CEO, told AviationGhana.com in Accra.
Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, Mrs. Aniley Eshetu, said the airline is committed to the Ghanaian market and the night flights are imperative to further ensure that Ghana is well-connected to other African destinations for the country to benefit from the AfCFTA.
