By Wallace Mawire
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network operating carrier in Africa, announced plans to inaugurate three new domestic airports and launch passenger flights to the destinations by mid-April 2026.
The new airports are located in Negele Borena, Gore Metu, and Debre Markos.
Ethiopian plans to operate thrice weekly passenger flights to each of the destinations. The addition of the three destinations increases Ethiopian Airlines’ domestic network to 26, further boosting air connectivity throughout the country.
Commenting on the achievements, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said, “The inauguration of these three new airports, along with the commencement of passenger services, represents a major milestone for Ethiopian Airlines and for the nation as a whole.This expansion reflects our steadfast commitment to enhancing connectivity within Ethiopia and serves as a powerful driver of economic growth and regional development. Its mission is to build an inclusive and integrated air transport network that empowers communities, unlocks economic opportunities, and supports national development by making safe, reliable, and efficient air travel accessible to all.”
As Ethiopian Airlines prepares to integrate the three new destinations into its network, its focus on modernizing the domestic travel experience remains firm, highlighted by infrastructure renovation and enhancement.
It is to be recalled that the airline inaugurated Yabello airport as the 23rd domestic destination in 2025.
Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is a true African success story, transforming a visionary dream into a globally renowned reality for nearly eight decades.
Operating flights to more than 160 domestic and international passenger, and cargo destinations across five continents, Ethiopian bridges the gaps between Africa and the world.
Emphasizing passenger comfort and environmental sustainability, Ethiopian utilizes ultra-modern aircraft such as Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, Airbus A350-900, A350-1000 and De Havilland Q400. Ethiopian, the Star Alliance member airline, champions in various coveted awards including Skytrax’s ‘Best Airline in Africa Award’ for eight consecutive years, APEX ‘Best Overall in Africa’ award and ‘Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport’ Award among others.
Ethiopian aims to further excel in its success through a strategic plan dubbed ‘Vision 2035’ and become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world. Embracing a Pan-African spirit, Ethiopian is pursuing multi-hub strategy through hubs in Lomé, Togo with ASKY, in Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawi Airlines, in Lusaka, Zambia with Zambia Airways, and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Air Congo.
