The Ethiopian Airlines, which is going to be the third African carrier to join the Star Alliance group, has already put the livery of Star Alliance on all its aircraft. So far South African Airways and Egypt Air are the African carriers that joined Star Alliance.
In September 2010, the Star Alliance Group accepted Ethiopian as future member of the group. Ethiopian applied to be a member of the group two years ago. Lufthansa has been mentoring Ethiopian on joining the group.
Star Alliance will officially announce that Ethiopian has joined the group at a Gala dinner party to be held in Addis Ababa on December 13. Executives of the Star Alliance and CEOs of the member airlines are expected to attend the celebration.
Established in 1997, the Star Alliance Group has 28 member airlines, including Ethiopian.
Ethiopian Airlines integrate with Star Alliance
According to Star Alliance, member airlines fly to more than 1210 destinations and they provide easier travel and quicker connection options making the travel experience smoother. “Being a member carrier, thus, means having more access to the market.”
Through Star Alliance, Ethiopian will be able to access 21,410 daily flights in 189 countries. Thus, with Ethiopian joining Star Alliance more travelers from Ethiopia and across Africa will benefit from the Star Alliance’s world-wide reach via the extensive network.
The group said joining Star Alliance will increase the traffic volume and subsequently the revenue of member carriers. Ethiopian will be part of the existing network the alliance covers: 4382 aircraft, 409,152 employees, 652.24 million passengers transported per year, 160.3 billion USD sales revenue and 21,410 daily departures.
With the pre-arranged domestic flight discount packages for passengers arriving from international Star Alliance networks, Ethiopian will be able to increase the traffic flow to the country promoting the destination as a major tourist attraction. These domestic discounts promoted throughout the alliance are expected to further promote the airline and the country. “Ethiopian’s joining of Star Alliance affirmed two facts about the airline: what it delivers and what it is capable of achieving in the future. This excellent service provision happens to impress other carriers as Ethiopian has fulfilled the service requirement to be a member. This distinction and continuous improvement in service standards adds immensely to the pride the company generates for the country whose flag Ethiopian enjoys to carry.”
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1 comment
Beside all z impressive achievements, I think Ethiopian must pay its pilots, technicians & other staffs the equivalent of what other airlines pay in order to keep on being competent in z market – otherwise, with the current trend of keeping it’s employees hostage by denying them resignation with their meager benefit & unwillingness to correct the wage, I don’t see a brighter future for the company.