Ethiopian Airlines Wants to Expand Its Flights to the Region – Air Serbia Open to Cooperation and Connecting with Africa

Ethiopian Airlines is planning to expand its operations in Southeast Europe with Balkan markets on its radar.

Speaking at the recent New Air Gateway Conference in Ljubljana, Saba Kassaye, Ethiopian Airlines’ Regional Manager for Austria and Eastern Europe, covering Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Ukraine, said:

– Currently we are using Vienna, Athens, Istanbul and Zurich to cover these markets. We have a big vision, especially for our expansion in Europe and Southeastern Europe. Destination wise, we will have to see but we have a list of countries that we are planning to study and open within the region.

As she added, they want to connect Africa to the world and expand outside of Africa.

– Currently, our expansion is focused on Europe and America and also, of course, within Africa, especially bigger countries. Our strategy is to expand across the world – she said.

In its Vision 2035 plan, Ethiopian Airlines aims to nearly double its number of destinations to 207, as well as double its fleet to 271.

The Star Alliance member does not operate to the former Yugoslav markets but has a General Sales Agent for the region. TAL Aviation covers Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia for Ethiopian Airlines, with its regional office in Belgrade.

– Ethiopian Airlines is quite known that they utilize some European cities as a stopover for fifth freedom rights towards the US because of the distance. So, if they would consider Belgrade, we would be very open for cooperation – Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said.

Demand from former Yugoslav markets to Africa is mainly limited to the Maghreb region and Egypt, reports EX-YU Aviation News.

Ethiopian Airlines

Air Serbia

Star Alliance

TAL Aviation

Saba Kassaye

Jiri Marek

expansion of flights to southeast Europe

new air lines

new flights

flights to Balkans countries