Part 3 of the Interview with ASKY CEO by the Publisher of Atqnews
Now, I know you were formerly a manager for E.T. in Nigeria. You went back, you rose all the way to M.D. International Services for E.T. How do we describe Essayas who is the CEO of Asky? How do we describe your aviation experience?
Aviation is a very interesting industry. As far as I am concerned, right from the young age, graduating from the university 33 years ago, I joined European Airlines. And my career has been in Ethiopian Airlines, working in different places, both at home base and overseas. As you mentioned, the managing director of international services, the chief commercial officer, that was for 32 years. In the 33rd year, now being at the helm of Asky, so 33 years of aviation experience has made me to really specialize in one industry. So this is quite a rewarding experience to see the African aviation grow from the humble beginning to where it is now. And African airline operators coming to the global arena. Look at Ethiopian airlines. So it is a fulfilling experience. It’s a rewarding experience that I had in aviation.
What is your vision for Asky?
Asky has a very big potential as a pan-African airline. It is already connecting many African places, but it wants to widen and deepen in Africa and to link Africa to the rest of the world, especially to Europe and across the Atlantic, to Latin America and North America as well. And also diversifying to the Middle East and even to Asia. So Asky has a promising potential to do all this. So the vision for Asky is to grow from an airline into a complete aviator, having its own maintenance facilities, training facilities, and all other things in the aviation value chain. So Asky needs to diversify into being a complete aviator. That is my vision for Asky.
Do you see Asky overtaking Ethiopian Airlines as the biggest airline in Africa?
Well, Ethiopian Airlines has been a mentor. Ethiopian has set out on a vision to help African airlines to come up to the task, up to the role, so that the majority of Africa’s traffic being uplifted by non-African airlines, to belong to the African airlines. The Ethiopian is a big mentor. So, if at all, Asky overtakes Ethiopian Airlines, it will be a big CV for Ethiopian Airlines as a good mentor to have brought African Airlines up to that level. So whatever time is going to be, time will tell us. So we just have to wait and see what time is going to reveal.
In one sentence, how do you describe the future of Asky?
Well, Asky as a Pan-African airline is a jewel in the African aviation. It has a very, very big potential, so we are very much sure that Asky is definitely going to dominate the African skies to carpet the whole continent with its wings. So that is how I would describe the future of Asky.
