Ethiopian Airlines will now stop in Rome on four routes to the US and Canada.
SUMMARY
- Ethiopian Airlines will be changing its flight routes from Addis Ababa to North America, with flights now stopping in Rome instead of Dublin.
- Flight schedules will be adjusted, with stops at Rome Fiumicino Airport for flights to Atlanta, Washington, Chicago, and Toronto.
- Ethiopian Airlines is also expanding its footprint in Africa as it is set to return to Bangui, Central African Republic.
Starting October 29, 2023, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) flights from Addis Ababa to Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, and Toronto will be operated via Rome, replacing Dublin as the technical stopping point.
Ethiopian Airlines operates over 21 weekly flights from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to the four North American destinations with Airbus A350, Boeing 777, and 787 Dreamliner aircraft. All flights stop at Dublin Airport (DUB) for about 50 minutes with no aircraft change. However, the airline has made some adjustments to its Westbound flight schedules.
Find out why Ethiopian’s Africa-North America flights are not non-stop
Changes to the flight schedule
Flights to Washington Dulles (IAD) will continue to be operated daily with the B787 or B777 but with a one-hour stop at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). ET500 will depart ADD at 22:50 and arrive at IAD at 09:00 the following morning. The carrier currently stops at DUB for about 55 minutes.
Similarly, flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) will be operated daily with the Dreamliner. ET574 will depart ADD at 10:40, arriving at ORD at 08:25 after an hour-long stop at FCO. This will also be a five-minute difference from the current 55-minute stop at DUB.
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Ethiopia’s national carrier will continue to fly from Addis to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) with the Airbus A350. ET552 will depart ADD at 23:00 and arrive at YYZ at 08:50, stopping in Rome for one hour. This was the airline’s only flight to Canada operated via Dublin.
The Atlanta service will remain unchanged in terms of stopping time. The carrier will fly from ADD to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) thrice weekly with the Boeing 787. ET518 departs ADD at 22:00, arriving at ATL at 09:00, after stopping at FCO for 50 minutes. Ethiopian Airlines only launched flights to Atlanta in May 2023.
More flight connections
Following the change in flight schedules, ET will have over 29 weekly flights from Addis Ababa to Rome, including its four weekly return service. Additionally, the carrier is adding flights from ADD to Madrid starting December 9, 2023. Flights will be operated four times a week with the Airbus A350 and will stop at FCO for an hour.
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Given the efficiency of the aircraft, the airline is also deploying it on a number of previously served routes. From October 28, Ethiopian will deploy the A350 from Addis Ababa to Seoul, replacing the Dreamliner on the route. The A350 will also fly from Addis to São Paulo and from São Paulo to Buenos Aires next month.
A return to Central Africa
ET recently announced that it will resume passenger services between Addis Ababa and Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR). Flights will be operated three times a week with the Boeing 737-800, starting November 15.
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This is part of the carrier’s long-term plan to continue enhancing its presence around Africa and connect the continent’s major cities. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Ato Mesfin Tasew said;
“We are excited to add Central African Republic to our vast African and global network. With the new services, our esteemed customers to and from Bangui will enjoy our renowned, award-winning services. The flights will have a significant contribution in strengthening the socio-economic activities between Addis Ababa and Bangui and beyond.”
Additionally, passengers flying from CAR to the carrier’s Addis Ababa hub will have access to over 130 destinations on ET’s international network. This will allow Bangui to strengthen its bilateral ties with various countries worldwide. Ethiopian will return to Bangui after nearly a decade, as it previously served the route between 2010 and 2015.
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