Major African carrier to open new hubs – media

Four new domestic airports have been planned to boost regional economies, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew has said

Ethiopian Airlines plans to open four new domestic airports in the next two months as part of efforts to improve connectivity across the country, local media reported on Sunday. 

Capital outlet, citing CEO Mesfin Tasew, said the carrier indicated that the facilities – located in the cities of Negele Borena, Gore Mettu, Mizan Aman, and Debre Markos – are nearing completion and will expand its domestic network, increasing the destinations from 23 to 27.

The hubs are expected to support key regional economies, with Negele Borena serving southern livestock resources and trade routes, while Debre Markos is set to act as a hub for agriculture and education in the Amhara region. Gore Mettu and Mizan Aman will improve access to high-altitude areas in western and southwestern Ethiopia, where coffee production is a major economic activity.

“The new airports will create access for citizens who have previously lacked air transport options,” according to local media. It added that the expansion is part of a broader strategy to position air transport as a driver of national development, and noted that Ethiopian Airlines remains the only provider of regular domestic flights in the country.

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Additionally, Mesfin Tasew confirmed plans to modernize the company’s domestic fleet, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed saying in October that the country’s flag carrier ordered 124 new aircraft as part of its broader expansion and renewal strategy.

The expansion comes as Ethiopia advances plans for Bishoftu International Airport, expected to be Africa’s largest, with construction beginning in January after the project was outlined in 2025 to ease pressure on Addis Ababa’s main hub.

Tasew told Capital that Ethiopian Airlines is taking measures to maintain operations amid the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to airspace closures and volatility in global fuel markets. He said the carrier has begun using strategic fuel reserves and sourcing from alternative international suppliers to cope with a sharp rise in jet fuel costs.

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The airline had suspended flights to several countries and major cities across the region due to security risks.