Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it will launch flights to the southern Indian city of Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu in July 2022.
Chennai launch
Starting 2nd July 2022, Ethiopian Airlines will operate 3-flights-a-week between Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and Chennai International Airport with the following schedule:
- Addis Ababa-Chennai
- Departure time: 23:30
- Arrival time: 08:10
- Flight time: 6 hours and 10 minutes
- Flight number: ET692
- Frequency: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Chennai-Addis Ababa
- Departure time: 02:30
- Arrival time: 06:10
- Flight time: 6 hours and 10 minutes
- Flight number: ET693
- Frequency: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
These flights will be operated by the airline’s Boeing B737MAX-8 aircraft featuring 160 seats across two classes of service – Business Class and Economy Class.
Stay up to date: Sign up for my newsletter to never miss latest Aviation and Travel news.
Frequency increase elsewhere
In addition to launching flights to Chennai, the flag carrier of Ethiopia has announced that it will increase flights to Mumbai and Delhi. Starting mid-June 2022, the airline will operate double-daily flights to both the Indian metro cities, up from the current single-daily operation. Ethiopian Airlines began its flights to Delhi in 1966, while flights to Mumbai started in 1971.
Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines will deploy Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft on flights to Bengaluru. The airline currently deploys Boeing B737 aircraft on flights to Bengaluru.
Lemma Yadecha, Chief Commercial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines on Thursday (28th April 2022) said that the airline is keen on adding 3 to 5 more destinations in India in the future and also increase the frequency of flights. Ethiopian Airlines, the largest carrier in Africa, is allowed to operate 35-flights-a-week to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.
The airline is eyeing higher traffic from BRICS countries. BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Yadecha said:
BRICS countries are our focus markets. With our geographical advantage we are carrying a large number of passengers and cargo between India and South Africa/Brazil and also between China and Latin America. We are also carrying traffic from Russia to Africa. Traffic from Russia has not decreased despite the war.
He added:
Discussions are ongoing between the civil aviation authorities of Ethiopia and India in that regard.
The airline states that around 65 to 70% of passengers from India travel onward from Addis Ababa to other destinations within Africa.
Featured image by Global Business Press
What do you think of Ethiopian Airlines launching flights to Chennai and increasing frequency of flights to other cities in India? Let me know in the comments section below.
Follow IH Aviation and Travel on Social Media on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.