ETHIOPIAN SHELVES MANILA FLIGHTS, FOR NOW
(Posted 02nd July 2013)
Travellers who were set to fly with Ethiopian Airlines to Manila / Philippines on board the flights which were due to commence today, will be disappointed to learn that one of Africa’s best will not just yet be taking them there.
Information was sourced from Addis Ababa that the airline has for the time being shelved plans to introduce flights to Manila, which were to route from their hub in Addis via Hong Kong.
At the root of the delay is apparently the airline’s failure to secure fifth freedom rights between Hong Kong and Manila, something their route strategists have been banking on to ensure sufficient additional loads of passengers and cargo between the two Asian cities. With such rights not immediately available, it suggests that Ethiopian rather opted to postpone the launch than operate flights to Manila with the prospect of incurring unsustainable losses.
Ethiopian was due to use a B767-300ER on the route. Also, no further news could be obtained at this time about the airline’s plans to fly to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, which were announced last year when Ethiopian launched flights to Singapore. Watch this space for regular and breaking news from Eastern Africa’s vibrant aviation industry.
