In recent days, several Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali online media outlets have reported that Eritrea has barred Ethiopian Airlines from using its airspace. Despite these reports, outlets like ‘Eritrean Press’ have not presented concrete evidence to support their claims, instead linking the issue to a recent limitation on the airline’s flights to Eritrea.
Responding to these claims, Ethiopian Airlines clarified its position through Ethiopia Check.
“Our airline continues to fly in Eritrean airspace; the information about a ban is false,” a senior airline official stated. “We still have permission to operate in Eritrean airspace, and we have not received any indication from Eritrea that this permission has been withdrawn,” the official added, noting that the status remains unchanged.
Meanwhile, Flight Radar 24, a popular flight tracking website and app, responded on X (formerly Twitter), mentioning that some aircraft have opted to bypass Eritrean airspace by rerouting through Sudan.
Despite these observations, many social media users have shared screenshots showing Ethiopian Airlines’ continued operations within Eritrean airspace, further suggesting that no official ban is in place.
