Ethiopian Airlines is set on a path of growth, with the addition of a new destination in its already vast network of more than 150 destinations. Karachi, Pakistan, will welcome the Ethiopian national carrier on March 26th. The direct flight between Ethiopia and Karachi will enable the two countries to strengthen their already-deep socio-economic relations, with the airline acting as a bridge between Pakistan, Africa, and the rest of the world.
Ethiopian Airlines is one of Africa’s leading airlines, with a vast network of 22 domestic and more than 127 international destinations. Additionally, the carrier’s marketing strength lies in its Star Alliance membership, which enables the airline to offer an even wider choice to its customers. Starting next month, the Ethiopian national carrier will add a new international destination to its schedule: Karachi, in Pakistan.
The first flight is scheduled for March 26th. However, no other detail is yet known about the type of aircraft that will operate the service or the flight schedule. However, given the flight time of approximately eight hours, it can be assumed that the airline will operate one of its long-haul aircraft. According to ch-aviation, the carrier’s long-haul fleet is based on seven different types of aircraft, summarised in the table below.
Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines is awaiting the delivery of four Airbus A350-1000s and an additional Airbus A350-900.
Airlines play a fundamental role in connecting countries and their people, economies, and cultures. Therefore, the Ethiopian ambassador to Pakistan, Jemal Beker Abdula, underlined how the new direct flight between Addis Ababa and Karachi would become the instrument to connect Pakistan with Ethiopia and, by extension, the whole African continent.
Mr Abdula highlighted how this is the right time for the Ethiopian national carrier to start a direct service from the country’s capital to Karachi, as the Ethiopian and Pakistani economies have mutual interests in laying the foundation of a robust and long-lasting relationship. The Ethiopian ambassador underlined how essential exports are for the Pakistani economy. Therefore, Ethiopian Airlines’ direct service to Addis Ababa will be a fundamental asset for Pakistan to increase its export volumes to Africa and the entire world. Indeed, Ethiopian Airlines is the largest cargo operator in Africa, with a worldwide network of destinations, including three in North America, four in South America, five in Europe, six in the Middle East, 11 in Asia, and 30 in Africa. Based on the strength of Ethiopian Airlines’ cargo and logistic services, Mr Abdula sustains that the direct service between Karachi and Addis Ababa will increase the trade volume between the two countries from $80 million to $200 million.
Source: Simple Flying
