Now when you’re traveling from Atlanta to Ethiopia, or any of its neighboring countries, you may not
have that long layover in Washington D.C. Ethiopian Airlines will start having direct flights to and from
Atlanta.
The service is slated to begin on May 16 and is expected to have flights four times a week from Addis
Ababa to Atlanta, with a stop in Dublin.
“As the world’s busiest airport and most efficient airport, our mission is to deliver excellence while
connecting our community to the world,” said General Manager Balram Bheodari. “We are thrilled to
welcome Ethiopian Airlines to Atlanta.”
Atlantans are thrilled as well. “It’s always been a pain catching a 5 a.m. flight from Atlanta to D.C. to
then wait another five hours for my next flight,” says Sofia Melkamu. “It’s going to be such a breeze to
fly out directly from Atlanta.”
The other option Melkamu has been taking in recent years has been Turkish Airlines directly from
Atlanta. But the only problem with that is “another long wait in Istanbul,” she says.
The mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, has also expressed excitement about the airline’s new hub.
“Ethiopian Airlines’ new service to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is yet another win for
our city as we come to develop and expand our air service to Africa,” Dickens said. “As we celebrate the
new connection of the rich and dynamic cities of Atlanta and Addis Ababa, we look forward to a strong
and successful partnership with our new partners in Ethiopia.”
Ethiopian Airlines adds Atlanta as its 5th destination city in the U.S., after Chicago, Newark, New York,
and Washington D.C. These cities may not be so ideal for those on the west coast, as Chicago in the
Midwest would be the closest city to them.
But as Ethiopian Airlines is the fastest growing airline in Africa and operating for over 70 years, who
knows if it has a new destination hub in the West in the near future. The Airline achieved the ‘Best
Airline in Africa’ award for five consecutive years by Skytrax and has been a Star Alliance member since
2011.
