About Us

40s

The first scheduled trip to Cairo took place via Asmara on the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The national airline had been set up a few months earlier as Ethiopian Airlines, a joint venture with American Airlines, TWA (Global Airways). with five surplus US government C-47 aircraft for the project. After the successful inaugural trip to Cairo, a regular weekly service was established. This was followed by weekly services to Djibouti and Aden, as well as family services to Jemma.

So great were the demands for additional services that at the end of 1946 four more C-47 Skytrains were purchased. As these were ex-US military aircraft, they had few amenities; They all contained folding canvas seats along the sides, with the center aisle kept clear so that the load could be strapped to the floor.

50s to 90s

Three more aircraft have been purchased for international routes. It rode in a 'luxury' design with 21 forward-facing seats and was the first to wear the colorful Ethiopian Airlines livery.

During the late 1940s the road network was extended to Nairobi, Port Sudan and Bombay. Charter flights were also transferred to Jeddah during the Hajj season, to transport pilgrims to Mecca.

The Ethiopian was a proud recipient of two awards from African Aviation Journal and African / Times USA.

The 2007 African Business Award, presented to Ethiopian Airlines by the US African Times, was in recognition of its "achievement and continued contribution to the advancement of Africa's profile and the quality of life for Africans everywhere."

The Ethiopians also received the IATA-IOSA Certificate of Registration as a result of the airline's "fundamental commitment to providing safe and reliable air transportation services for passengers and cargo".

2010s

beyond the ground
The 25,000 lb (11 t) MTOW British Aerospace 125 first flew on 13 August 1962 as the de Havilland DH. 125, powered by two 3,000 lb (13 kN) Armstrong Sedley aircraft.