By Ajuma Edwina Ogiri
With a current profit of $1 billion, Ethiopian airline said it is aiming to attain $10 billion by 2025. The Managing Director, Ethiopian International Services, Esayas Hailu, who disclosed this to newsmen recently in Abuja, said It has projected 18 million passengers for the period up from six million currently, with 820,000 tons of cargo from the current 200,000 tons it carries and 140 aircrafts as against the current 66 aircrafts.
Hailu noted that currently, 80% of African traffic is airlifted by non-African carriers adding that the airline is trying to establish hubs in Africa to interconnect Africa.
He said, “With one to four hubs to interconnect Africa; the job, economy and money will sink on the soil and we will stop talking about capital flights.
“We only present our score cards and performance to government, there is no interference; year to year, we operate and make profit, finance our operations from our revenue. We are not just an airline; we are into cargo, maintenance, repair and overhaul, ground services and aviation academy, in-flight catering services among others. We are a complete aviator.”
Hailu said the cargo network had been able to bring African countries together in the area of trade, investment and tourism, adding that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa, owing to the population and domestic growth.
He further noted that Ethiopian Airlines established partnership with ASKY airlines, a community airline based in Togo, realising its long-term vision of creating a West African hub.
He said: “The establishment of ASKY is an important move for an historic intra-African cooperation in the airline business.”
He explained that the 100% government owned airline currently serves 82 international destinations and 18 domestic destinations, operating the newest and youngest fleets of an average age of seven years.
