The Civil Aviation Authority of Eritrea’s Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the suspension in a notice published today in the government newspaper “Hadas Eritrea.”
According to the announcement, Ethiopian Airlines flights will be suspended from September 30, 2024. Ethiopian Airlines later confirmed the suspension of all flights to Eritrea.
In a press release, the Civil Aviation Authority stated that the airline was grounded due to “organized and systematic” abuse of Eritrean passengers. The airline was accused of improper procedures, including “theft of passengers’ luggage,” frequent flight and baggage delays, and failure to compensate passengers.
The Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority also cited an unreasonable increase in ticket prices as another reason for the suspension.
“Repeated reminders given to Ethiopian Airlines to resolve the above-mentioned problems did not yield results, and from September 30, 2024, Ethiopian Airlines flights to Eritrea have been suspended,” the authority stated.
In a message issued to Ethiopian Airlines passengers, the Eritrean government urged those planning to fly with the airline after September 30 to make alternative arrangements.
Despite the planned suspension, Ethiopian Airlines continues to sell tickets for flights to Eritrea on its website and at ticket offices for dates beyond October 1.
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates five flights a week to Asmara. In addition to Ethiopian Airlines, Saudi Arabian, Turkish, and Egyptian airlines have regular flights to Asmara.
Following a recent visit by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to Italy, an agreement was reached for Italian Airlines to start flights to Eritrea.
Air travel between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which was interrupted for two decades due to the bloody border war, resumed in July 2010. This will be remembered.
After Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, flights between Asmara and Addis Ababa, which had been in a state of neither war nor peace, were resumed. The leaders of the two countries signed an agreement called the “Asmara Declaration,” which allowed the continuation of land transport, trade, and communication services that had been suspended alongside air travel.
Currently, all border gates between the two countries are closed, but communication services remain open.
Diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have been restored following the end of the civil war in northern Ethiopia. It is worth noting that the Eritrean government sided with the federal government during the conflict in the north and attacked the forces of Tigray.
