In Person
Rahel Assefa
Ethiopian Airlines is Africa's fastest growing airline and is celebrating 40 years of service to Heathrow and the launch of its first Dreamliner. Jo Austin met up with its UK and Ireland regional manager
Rahel Assefa REGIONAL MANAGER, UK AND IRELAND FOR ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES Ethiopian Airlines is the fastest growing airline in Africa and recently launched the new Boeing-787 Dreamliner onto the route. Rahel Assefa has worked for the airline for the last 24 years as it developed its route network and built its reputation. Now, as the company commemorates 40 years of continuous service to the UK, she talks about its new aircraft and upgrades, its onboard service and style, and its ambitious vision for future growth.
flyethiopian.com
OBH: What are the most significant changes you have seen at Ethiopian Airlines in recent years (ET)? RA: Our initial goal, on a global level, was to 'connect Africa' and from this we have grown our ambition to 'connecting Africa to the rest of the world', which we can now confidently say we do successfully. We have become Africa’s biggest cargo operator and have managed to remain profitable while registering significant growth and massive expansion.
Pictured above: Personal onboard service ; and right, a fresh choice of cheeses
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How strategically important has the UK route and market been? The UK was significant as it was our first gateway into Europe. We now operate to seven cities across Europe but the UK continues to play an important role in realising our growth objectives in the region. The introduction of the Boeing 787 fleet on the LHR route, with 20% additional capacity, and Africa’s continued growth, has allowed us to position ourselves as a serious player in the market.
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What are the main advantages of the Dreamliner to ET? Did the airline have any customised requirements? It’s not only a brand new plane but provides us with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. It uses 20% less fuel than similarly-sized planes – so allows us to deliver a quality travel experience while having the potential to positively impact our bottom line. With 787’s, passengers also enjoy
a better interior environment with higher humidity, more comfort and convenience. We offer 246 Economy and 24 Business (Cloud9) seats. Business has sleeper seats with a 65-inch pitch, state-of-the-art on-demand audio and video services with 15.4 inch IFE screens and 85 channels. Economy has reclining seats with 32-inch pitch and spacious cabin, audio and video services with 8.9 inch IFE screens and 80 channels. Ethiopian's IFE service is provided by Inflight Dublin.
Africa is a growing force in the world of travel, tourism and aviation. Where does ET fit within this and what is its long-term vision? In recent years tourism to developing countries has become a significant phenomenon and Africa has certainly benefited from that. We currently have the largest network in Africa (45 destinations) and growing, and have been operating within Africa for many years. We are very familiar with the dynamics of the continent and have operations which put us in a very healthy position to tap new opportunities and continue as a driving force for economic growth in Africa. The main objective of our Vision 2025 document is to transform ET into an aviation group that includes a mega-airline serving more than 90 destinations (currently 72+17 domestic), operates 120 airplanes (currently 58), generating about $10 billion, carrying more than 18 million passengers and 720,000 tons of cargo. Major projects planned for 2013/14
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