The Nordic region's fastest and most direct flight connection to Africa is with Ethiopian Airlines, a member of Star Alliance. And without tiring time differences. Ethiopian Airlines' Oslo-Stockholm-Addis Ababa route is a reliable route, which has been flown throughout the pandemic, usually with Boeing 787 Dreamliners. From June 1, the flights will operate daily.

Demand from satisfied customers has increased rapidly during the spring. That is why we are now, with great pleasure, rapidly expanding the Oslo-Stockholm-Addis Ababa route to daily flights,” says Wogayehu Terefe, Area Manager at Ethiopian Airlines in Stockholm. 

Ethiopian is by far Africa’s largest operator of Dreamliners and is now also moving up the rankings as one of the airlines with the most ultra-modern Airbus A350s, for the longest routes. As other airlines have postponed deliveries and reduced their fleets, Ethiopian has taken delivery of five new A350s, even during the pandemic.

By converting 25 passenger planes for freight early in the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines was able to become a key player in the delivery of medical equipment, such as 150 million vaccine doses to Africa. Freight traffic also gave the company a significant profit in 2021, which allowed it to maintain important traffic for people and goods. Ethiopian Cargo's twelve pure freighter aircraft continue to be an important and profitable part of the group for the future, through difficult times. Now it also becomes the second first company in the world to order the brand new Boeing 777X in full freighter version, in five copies with super long range.

Addis Ababa is the hub for 127 destinations in 81 countries, making Ethiopian Airlines the fourth largest airline in the world in terms of number of destinations, more than many well-known major airlines. Ethiopian is also the fifth largest airline in the world in terms of new Airbus A350s, with 18 in the fleet and an average age of 3.1 years. They are equipped for 30 in business class and 313-325 in economy class. The 27 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are five years old on average.

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the 20 largest airlines in the world and with 67 destinations in Africa, it continues to increase market share, under its slogan ”The New Spirit of Africa”. Twice in recent years, it has been named ”Best Airline Staff Service” by Skytrax and four times ”Best Airline in Africa”. In 2017, it received ”Four Star Certification” while growing, with a profit increase of 25%, for seven consecutive years. Of course, the pandemic has put Ethiopian Airlines under strain, as it has for everyone else. The usual cutbacks have not been made.  

Therefore, passenger traffic could also be maintained, which also made Ethiopian Airlines the ”Best African Airline 2021” according to the Business Travel Award. Traffic to Stockholm and Oslo has continued throughout the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines' position as the largest African airline was also strengthened in 2021.

Through joint ownership and alliances with several airlines, most recently in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopian has solidified its position as pan-African, with convenient connections to the company's large network towards Asia, as well as South and North America.

Of course, success did not come overnight. but the company has grown continuously during its 75 flying years. Ethiopian is state-owned, but has always made independent commercial decisions, which have built growth and profit. Ethiopian Airlines is the country's largest and most popular company to work for. Its own flight academy trains pilots, cabin crew, flight engineers and ground staff. A conscious investment in women has led to a leading position in terms of female pilots and flight engineers, the latter almost completely unique.

Within Scandinavia, Ethiopian Airlines also flies locally on the Stockholm-Oslo-Stockholm route, with an early morning departure to Oslo and a convenient early evening departure back to Stockholm with a direct connection to Addis Ababa overnight. The Dreamliner that is normally used has a configuration of 24 business class and 246 economy class, with slightly more business class in the larger 787-9.

Ethiopian Airlines is now also resuming deliveries of 25 ordered Boeing 737-8s, which will primarily complement African traffic, where Boeing 737-800s are currently used, as well as one of the world's largest fleets of Bombardier Q-400s, just over 30, which are particularly well suited for Africa's many hot and high airports and long distances.

According to the press release