Ethiopian Airlines Group announced that it has plan to expand the acquisition of shares and managerial and technical supports to various African flying carriers in the view to keep its leading position in the continent’s aviation industry.
During a press briefing he held with members of local and foreign media here Thursday, Group Chief Executive OfficerTewolde GebereMariam said that the new vision 2030 gives utmost priority to ensure Ethiopian status as the largest airliner in Africa.
Accordingly, the airline secured each 49 percent of share in Malawi and Chad airlines and seized 45 and 27 percent of share in Zambia and Togo carriers respectively.
Furthermore, the Ethiopian flag carrier has a plan to secure 49 percent share in Guinea airways and fully owned the Mozambique airline.
Furthermore, Ethiopian reached agreement to take the management of Equatorial Guinea airlines and various African flying carriers have been showing similar interests.
Regarding the airlines’ economic role, the CEO stated that it is generating over 200 million USD annually and facilitating the exportation of perishable agricultural commodities. It has played enormous role in helping Ethiopia to become the second largest cut flower exporting country in Africa.
Tewolde indicated that 11 million passengers travelled by Ethiopian in 2017 in that 9.5 million were international passengers and the rest travelled domestically. The carrier has enormously invested to the purchase of ultra-modern aircrafts including Boeing 787 Dreamliner and expanding routes to grab more customers.
Noting the airliner has never got sovereign guarantee or concessional loan from the government, Tewolde noted that the corporate’s debt-to-equity ratio still remains healthy.
According to him, Employees’ commitment and the government meticulous leadership are factors that help Ethiopian achieve vision 2025 eight years ahead.
Alongside this, Tewolde stated that Ethiopian Airlines Hotel, which is the largest hotel in the country set to be inaugurated in the coming month.The CEO noted that the 65 million USD five star hotel expected to play vital role in supporting Ethiopia’s tourism industry through availing accommodation packages for business and leisure tourists.
Tewolde further pointed out that the Group has plan to expand hotel’s accommodation capacity in the bid to supplement Ethiopia’s vision of becoming Africa’s hub of conference tourism. The airline has also been hugely involved in promoting Ethiopia’s tourism potentials through naming new aircrafts after country’s major tourist attraction sites.
(EPA)
BY BILAL DERSO
