Chengdu is the seventh largest city in China and is the country's western centre of logistics, commerce, science, and technology, as well as a hub of transportation, manufacturing, and communication.
The capital is also a major centre for Air China, Ethiopian Airlines’ Star Alliance partner. With this new flight, passengers from Ethiopia, a vast and growing network in Africa, will be able to quickly connect to dozens of cities in China, with the Air China partnership, including Shenzhen, Kunming, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Wuhan, Changsha, and Urumqi.
Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam, said: “We are glad to launch services to Chengdu, our fifth gateway to The Republic of China. Since our first flight 43 years ago, China has been a key market and it is now the largest per country market in our system. Using the geocentric location advantage of our hub in Addis Ababa we are connecting China, the world's second largest economy and Africa’s biggest trade and investment partner, with 52 cities in the continent of Africa.
With the addition of Chengdu, we shall offer the best and fastest connectivity options with a total of 34 weekly flights to China, operated with the latest and most comfortable B787 and B777 aircraft. Our Chinese customers will also enjoy seamless connection on Ethiopian Airlines' intra-African network and farther to São Paulo in Brazil.”
Ethiopian Airlines is investing to make Addis Ababa a Chinese friendly hub airport for the continent. The airline now has Mandarin translators and signage available at the airport transit area and in the Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge. Chinese New Year is also marked every year at Addis Abba Airport.
Ethiopian Airlines was the first African carrier and the fourth in the world to fly to China back in 1973.
In addition to the three weekly flights to Chengdu to be launched in June, Ethiopian Airlines currently operates daily nonstop flights to Beijing, ten weekly nonstop flights to Guangzhou, and six weekly nonstop flights to Hong Kong.
