ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Airlines has been granted the green light to introduce three weekly flights to the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) to pick fresh produce destined for the European Markets.
The arrangement is the result of a joint initiative by the Tanzania Horticulture Association (Taha) and the Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company (Kadco), which manages the airport and one of the leading carriers in Africa.
One of the jets from the Horn of Africa country was at the second busiest airports in the country on Friday and ferried tons of fresh horticulture produces abroad.
Export of horticulture products from Tanzania has been negatively impacted by the outbreak of coronavirus, which has forced major world carriers to suspend flights to KIA.
Recently, Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it has been exerting efforts to manage the impact of coronavirus through a fundamental shift to cargo services.
The pandemic that severely affected the aviation industry has reduced Ethiopian passenger traffic by 30% incurring over $550 million loss in revenue.
Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam said various airlines around the world have been receiving huge financial stimulants as COVID-19 is sweeping the globe and devastating the aviation industry.
Ethiopian Airlines is, however, in a strong position and struggling to manage the economic impacts by itself, ENA quoted the CEO as saying.
“We know that governments in USA, Europe and other countries have extended billions of dollars following the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the negative impact on the global aviation industry. Here in the airline has been pursuing a new strategy and seeking to battle the devastating impact of the virus,” Tewolde elaborated.
Haulage of cargo and medical equipment has become an effective approach for the airline, according to him,
Ethiopian has refocused its energy, time and resources on cargo operation, Tewolde indicated that 10 Triple Seven and two 737 freighters are being used all over the world.
In addition, some 8 airplanes have joined the cargo service and are working almost 24 hours throughout the week.
The CEO underscored that this service, in particular, is beyond a cargo service as it maximizes not only income to the airline but also helps it discharge continental responsibility.
“Ethiopian is responding to COVID-19 outbreak effectively with extra cargo flights and is shouldering its continental responsibility by shipping masks and testing kits where those supplies are being used in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa,” Tewolde noted.
In March alone, the carrier transported donations made to Africa by the Chinese business mogul Jack Ma in six days for all 54 African countries, the CEO stated, adding that “many African countries were surprised how the airlines distributed the medical equipment in a very short period of time.”
Following that role, Ethiopian Airlines has signed agreements to deliver medical and equipment cargo service donations to be made by United Nations, WHO, China and other partners of Africa, it was learnt.
It is to be recalled that about 90 airplanes of Ethiopia have been grounded after the pandemic, and the airline has canceled its major flights around the world.
The Ethiopian Herald April 21/2020
BY STAFF REPORTER
