• Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad form partnership linking Africa with Asia and Australia
• Direct flights between Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi begin July 15 and October 8
• Agreement supports Ethiopian's Vision 2035 to grow destinations to 207

Ethiopian Airlines has entered into a code-sharing agreement with Etihad Airways. Announced in June, the partnership aims to enhance air connectivity between Africa and major hubs in the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.

Under the agreement, Ethiopian Airlines will launch direct flights between Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi starting July 15. Etihad will follow with daily service to Addis Ababa beginning October 8.

"By leveraging our combined networks, we are opening up seamless travel possibilities between Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East," said Arik De, Director of Revenue and Commercial Affairs at Etihad. The collaboration will allow Etihad passengers to access Ethiopian’s network of nearly 55 African destinations across 33 countries, including cities such as Lomé, Kinshasa, Kigali, Lusaka, and Harare.

The partnership is expected to benefit African travelers conducting business and members of the diaspora heading to Australia and Asia. Ethiopian Airlines also plans to use Abu Dhabi airport as a new intercontinental hub, opening access to 20 Etihad destinations including Sydney (Australia), Krabi (Thailand), Colombo (Sri Lanka), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

The code-sharing agreement allows for single booking, unified check-in, and automatic baggage transfer. It is designed to improve passenger convenience and attract more travelers between emerging markets with high growth potential.

This move also supports Ethiopian Airlines’ long-term growth strategy, "Vision 2035", which targets an expansion from 142 to 207 destinations and aims to carry 65 million passengers annually by that year.