Posed by Sade Williams
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX Certified Four Star Global Airline, has won the 2018 Best Airline in Africa Award for the 7th year in a row from African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
The award was given on November 27, 2018 in recognition of its exceptional financial performance at the 50th high profile African Airline Association (AFRAA) Annual General Assembly taking place in Rabat, Morocco.
Speaking on the award, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “We are thrilled to win this prestigious award. In the last seven years we have been coming to AFRAA AGA and receiving this continental high-profile award every single year. We sincerely thank AFRAA and our sister African Airlines for the award. The award underscores the continuous efforts and hard work of Ethiopian employees who are highly committed for the extra ordinary success of our airline. The accolade also attests the soundness of our fast, profitable and sustainable growth plan, Vision 2025 and the associated business model.
“Our sincere gratitude also goes to our customers worldwide for giving us the opportunity to serve them, for travelling on Ethiopian in great numbers, for their continued feedback and support which is critical success factor in continuously improving our award-winning customer services. Africa is registering rapid economic growth which holds a very strong future and I would like to remind my fellow industry partners, governments and all stakeholders that we all need to strategize on how we all can work together to capitalize on the opportunities arising from the business and investment boom in the continent and take the role of air connectivity to the next level. Most of all, we all need to synergize our strengths to realize the vision of creating a single and unified African Air Transport market”, he added.
Ethiopian Airlines registered a record in key financial metrics in the 2017/2018 fiscal period.
Ethiopian Airlines, also known as Ethiopian, is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.
Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 116 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.
Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with Six business centers: Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian ADD Hub Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.