TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
Apart from bringing its new generation Airbus 350- 900 to Mumbai, India, the airline also initiated the code-share agreement with South African Airways.
TT Bureau
Ethiopian Airlines launched Africa’s first Ethiopian Airbus A350-900 XWB on the Addis Ababa-Mumbai route on April 7, 2017. Passengers on Ethiopian’s twice daily nonstop services between Mumbai to Addis Ababa will be able to enjoy the extra features of this latest flying machine: new cabin interior features with the latest high-definition touchscreen, personal monitors with a higher selection of movies, wider seats and windows, the lowest twin engine noise level, advanced air conditioning technology, full LED mood lighting.
Tadesse Tilahun, Regional Director, Indian Subcontinent, remarked, “The A350 is a game-changing fleet that has proven exceptional levels of luxury and reliability for a totally unique passenger experience. We are glad to be the first airline to serve our Indian customers with this latest aircraft from Mumbai.”
He added, “Currently, we are operating 28 weekly passenger flights to India’s major cities, Mumbai and Delhi. Moreover, to further strengthen the growing trade and commercial ties between the booming economies of India and Africa at large, we have started weekly freighter operation to Ahmedabad, our fifth cargo destination in India, since March 28. ”
In another development, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways, both members of Star Alliance, have entered into an expanded codeshare agreement, inked on October 01, 2016 and projected to be effective as of 2017 summer season. The revamped code-share agreement is anticipated to further enhance the cooperation among the two carriers and avail a range of additional destinations for customers to travel to.
Girma Shiferaw, A/Vice President Strategic Planning and Alliances, Ethiopian, remarked, “The expanded code share between the two carriers enables our customers enjoy the best possible connectivity options and also plays a significant role in enabling greater people-to-people, investment, trade and tourism ties within Africa as well as with the rest of the World.”
