• Airline transported 10.64 million passengers in six months

• Cargo volumes reached 451,000 tons; revenue hit $4.4 billion

• Performance aligns with Vision 2035 growth targets

In the first six months of Ethiopia’s FY2025/2026, which began in July 2025, Ethiopian Airlines carried 10.64 million passengers. The performance comes as the carrier expands its network and modernizes its fleet. The airline, which operates 170 aircraft, serves 145 international destinations, including three new routes launched recently.

The first-half figures extend the trend seen in the previous fiscal year. According to data cited by several media outlets and attributed to the Ministry of Transport, the airline carried 13.9 million passengers in the first nine months of the July 2024 to June 2025 budget year. Of that total, 11 million traveled on international routes, compared with 2.9 million on domestic flights.

The current half-year performance points to sustained activity, with traffic still driven largely by international operations. This segment remains strategic for the airline, which leverages its geographic position to capture Africa-Europe, Africa-Asia and Africa-Americas flows. Over the same period, its cargo division transported 451,000 tons of goods. Group activities generated $4.4 billion in revenue during the half year.

These interim results support the airline’s “Vision 2035” strategy, which targets annual traffic of 65 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo by 2035. The financial goal is to reach $25 billion in revenue. However, these ambitions face challenges. A global aircraft shortage, climate-related disruptions, conflicts in several regions and international economic uncertainty remain key operational constraints for airlines.

Additional pressure stems from U.S. visa policies under President Donald Trump, which restrict entry and visa issuance for certain travelers, particularly from Africa, weighing on the airline’s operations.

Henoc Dossa