Ethiopian Airlines is reportedly being forced to cancel flights to neighboring Eritrea, and the logic sure is strange.
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Ethiopian Airlines forced to suspend Eritrea flights
Ethiopian Airlines recently announced that it has been told that it needs to suspend flights between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD), and Asmara, Eritrea (ASM). The airline claims that the reason for the forced suspension is unknown, and that the airline is currently seeking clarification from the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority.
Ethiopian Airlines operates the short 434-mile flight up to twice daily, using Boeing 737s. The airline has been operating this route since 2018, following a peace deal between the neighbors, which even earned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
Interestingly, just a couple of weeks prior, authorities in Eritrea had reportedly sent a letter to Ethiopian Airlines, requesting that the airline operate more flights to Asmara, so that represents quite a reversal.
Ethiopian Airlines makes up a large percentage of the capacity at Asmara Airport. The airport exclusively has service from foreign airlines, including on EgyptAir from Cairo (CAI), flydubai from Dubai (DXB), Flynas from Jeddah (JED), and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul (IST).
Eritrea’s accusations against Ethiopian Airlines
A picture of a letter is circulating online, which claims to be from the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority. The letter states the following (what word salad):
Cognizant of the consistent and persistent malicious trading practices pursued by Ethiopian Airlines in general and systematic and organized passengers’ luggage theft, pilferage, damage, prolonged delays and loss with no compensation in particular, coupled with unjustified and unwarranted price hikes and other irregularities witnessed.
Moreover, repeated and relentless calls made on Ethiopian Airlines to rectify the above referenced pitfalls and other irregularities imposed on the travelling public, borne no fruit yet.
Damage to luggage? Prolonged delays? Unwarranted price hikes? Other irregularities? C’mon, this describes the airline industry in a nutshell. 😉
In all honesty, organized luggage theft is a pretty serious accusation, so I’m curious if the airline has any evidence to back that up. Does luggage theft happen? Of course, it happens everywhere in the world, with every airline. But is the government suggesting that there’s some organized conspiracy against luggage on flights to Eritrea?
The irony here is that the government of Eritrea is concerned about price hikes. Anyone want to guess what’s going to happen to fares when roughly one-third of the airport’s capacity is eliminated overnight?
In all honesty, my guess is that this is some sort of an attempted government flex in order to get the airline to do something or another. I can’t imagine the government will actually force Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights, because that would be a huge disservice to those needing to travel to or from the country.
Bottom line
The government of Eritrea is forcing Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to the country as of September 30, 2024. The airline currently operates up to two daily flight in the market, making up a large percentage of the capacity at the airport.
Eritrea is essentially accusing Ethiopian Airlines of being an airline, and of damaging luggage, delaying flights, and hiking prices.
What do you make of Eritrea threatening Ethiopian Airlines?
I've heard too many stories of people having their Luggage delayed or lost when travelling with Ethiopian Airlines, even on 5th freedom flights from the UK. All the Airline did to reimburse for the expenses was "NOTHING"
What about Ethiopian flying over their airspace will those be restricted as well like when the UAE and other Middle Easter countries banned Qatar Airways. Most Ethiopian airlines flights head north after leaving Ethiopia and overfly Eritrea. Both ET552 (to Toronto via Rome) and ET 553 (Toronto to Addis Ababa) did.
Ethiopian Airlines uses small planes, they have small cargo space and are too expensive.
It’s noteworthy that the fastest land route between the two cities is 763 miles/1236 km, and takes 19-20 hours to drive. Yeesh.
That’s actually pretty fast by developing country standards.
NGL, I think Ethiopian should consider just cutting the route and saying "Nope, not interested in dealing with you in the future. Even if you drop the bar, we're done on Sept. 30."
The reasons for suspension is true. I travelled to Eritrea from Australia by the Ethiopian airline in 2022. I had three luggages and when I landed in Asmara, I got only one of my luggage and when I asked where my other luggage are. I was told the other luggage’s will come with other airlines and I had to wait two weeks to pickup my luggage and everything I had to check whether my luggages...
The reasons for suspension is true. I travelled to Eritrea from Australia by the Ethiopian airline in 2022. I had three luggages and when I landed in Asmara, I got only one of my luggage and when I asked where my other luggage are. I was told the other luggage’s will come with other airlines and I had to wait two weeks to pickup my luggage and everything I had to check whether my luggages were arrived with every incoming Ethiopian plane. However, I believe this should be resolved by diplomacy
This is actually very straightforward and I'm surprised no one figured it out until now. The government of Eritrea wisely decided that this route would best be served by the galaxy's Most Premium Airline, Delta™. They are doing this simply to expedite Delta's arrival as best as possible. Duh.
This schtick has become just as annoying as the real TD.
No it's actually very funny
The satire has eclipsed the real TD. Consider the shark jumped.
No it's still fine
Paging Sean M to the comments section...
Nothing to add here. It is political, like anything that involves any dealings between Ethiopia and Eritrea. If anyone thinks Etritrea is a bastion of consumer protection, I've got a bridge to sell you.
Abiy and Isaias will kiss and make up, and the problems will magically disappear.
Looks like Eritrean government learned how to use ChatGPT to come up with a few sentences of BS!
The two governments aren't exactly getting along at the moment
Exactly. Well, more precisely, the Eritrean government is not getting along with any other government at the moment.
Keeps the foreign policy upkeep nice and simple.
Theft and pilferage of baggage is the norm in Africa, otherwise all airlines would be forced to suspend flights to Nigeria. Half the stuff ends up sale in local markets or online.
Tell us you’ve never been to Africa without telling us you’ve never been to Africa.
Oh ye of ignorance. Biggest scammers ever.
You do realise historically Europeans are regarded as the world’s biggest scammers of land and culture!
No?
Then go read a few books!
Yeah because nobody other than Europeans has participated in colonialism and cultural appropriation. Go read a few books!
Oh do bog-off with your tiresome, juvenile whining about white European colonialism and “genocide”. If you want to read an interesting genocide tale, search “Comanche genocide Apache”. Be warned, though - your delicate sensibilities may be offended.
Still, the Comanche/Apache genocide was no way as large as the genocide committed by Europeans in WWII.
The truth hurts you doesn’t it!
I really don't give a shit. The past cannot be changed. There's no point getting moist about it.
Maybe centuries ago. That honor has passed. And it is rather obvious and well known.