Thursday, January 15, 2015

Ethiopian Airlines to launch Tokyo service in April

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8
(Photo By Rob Finlayson)

Ethiopian Airlines will launch flights between Addis Ababa and Tokyo, via Hong Kong, firming up plans reported by ATW in December 2013.

The Star Alliance carrier said it will be the only carrier to link Japan and Africa when it launches the 3X-weekly Tokyo route in April.

Ethiopian confirmed in a statement it has “finalized preparations to start new services to Tokyo Narita International Airport in April 2015, in codeshare partnership with fellow Star Alliance member, All Nippon Airways, Japan’s leading airline.”

As previously reported, the route will be served by Ethiopian’s Boeing 787 fleet.

Ethiopian has also expanded its codeshare with fellow Star Alliance member Air India. The agreement, which currently covers the airlines’ Mumbai and New Delhi routes, has been expanded to include a number of internal African and Indian destinations.

Ethiopian is planning to significantly scale up its footprint in the Indian market with the start of double-daily flights and the opening of a new route in Southern India in 2015. 

Last year, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told ATW he was eyeing new 787 services to Manila in the Philippines and Jakarta in Indonesia. In the longer term, Australia is also on his wish list, alongside increased London Heathrow frequencies.

(Victoria Moores - ATWOnline News)

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