Ethiopian Airlines discloses a sharp increase in domestic air travel.
According to Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, the overall number of domestic passengers for the budget year, which ends in June, is predicted to be 3.5 million, representing a 34.6 percent increase over the same period in the previous year.
There were 2.6 million domestic passengers in the budget year 2022/23.
According to the CEO, domestic passenger traffic is increasing gradually.
In order to handle the increasing volume of travelers, the airlines are now working on a proposal to build a new airport 40 km outside of Addis.
This airport will have four times the capacity of the current Bole facility.
As of the now, Bole International Airport can handle 25 million passengers a year.
The CEO said that international passenger traffic and a small amount of freight service and would be handled by the new airport.
Nonetheless, the capital’s airport will continue to handle cargo operation, maintenance, and the nation’s expanding domestic traffic.
He said that in order to increase the MRO service it offered to clients in Africa and the Middle East, the Group is constructing two new hangars, a cutting-edge component repair complex, and a state-of-the-art airplane parts warehouse that will be operational by the end of the year.
The CEO noted that the airline had established a state-of-the-art cargo facility at its Bole base, and that Bole will remain the freight center.
According to the plan Bole Airport will be connected to the future airport city, which would be situated near Bishoftu, via a fast rail network.
“Last year, we carried 13.9 million passengers, and this year, we aim to reach 18 million passengers.” If we continue with this growth in two years’ time,” Mesfin recently told Capital, “we will be at 20 million passengers or more. So, it will be congested. Moving away or building a new airport hub is a necessity.”
By 2035, the Group aspires to become one of the top 20 global airlines and generate USD 25 billion in revenue annually, “This year, we plan to achieve USD 7 billion, aiming for tripled growth in the next 11 years.”
