By Friday Nwosu
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier is projecting an annual turnover of 10 billion dollars by 2025.
This is just as the airline disclosed that it plans to increase its fleet to 140 aircraft and reach the 22 million passengers mark by the same year.
The airline currently has a turnover of 2.4 billion dollars annually.
General Manager, Ethiopian Airlines, Nigeria office, Mr. Solomon Begashaw said the vision of the airline is to be the leading airline group in Africa with seven profit-oriented centres and a 4-Star airline with 5-Star services by 2025.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Begashaw said the airline currently has 76 aircraft, adding that the airline was running vision 2025, a 15-year plan and it started in 2010.
“Our vision in 2025 is to be the leading airline group in Africa with seven profit-oriented centres and a 4-Star airline with 5-Star services.
“In this vision, there are parameters, expectations and requirements that we are supposed to achieve.
“In our vision 2025, our mission is to transport 22 million passengers per annum; currently we are at six million plus per annum.
“In terms cargo, we are expected to hit 820 tons of cargo per annum; we are currently doing 220 tons of cargo”, he said.
The general manager said the airline’s target was to fly 120 to international destinations in 2025 and 26 domestic destinations, adding that currently the airline is flying 91 international destinations.
He said the airline is also expected to have 17, 000 employees in 2025 as against 8,000 employees presently on its payroll.
He said in the past three months it has started seven new destinations, namely Manila, Japan, Los Angeles, Cape Town, Republic of Congo, Dublin and Gaborone.
He said the ongoing expansion of Adisa Baba Bole Airport, when completed would boost the airline’s operations, adding that the Ethiopia Aviation Academy would provide the company with skilled labour.
