Ethiopian Airlines celebrates 78 years of operation on April 8, 2024.
To mark this milestone, the airline’s CEO Mesfin Tassew and COO Lemma Yadecha flew with crew on a Bole Addis Ababa International Airport (ADD) to Cairo International Airport (CAI) flight and provided inflight services to passengers.
According to Ethiopian Airlines, the executives’ involvement extended beyond inflight duties, as they also provided assistance to passengers during check-in and boarding processes.
Passengers on the special flight also received packages in time for Eid, which included a postcard commemorating the anniversary.
“This event symbolizes our unwavering commitment to our passengers and our belief that true leadership lies in serving others first,” Tassew said in a statement.
“Serving our passengers on this special flight to Cairo is not just a tribute to our first international service but a reaffirmation of our commitment to the ethos of servant leadership,” he continued.
Tassew added: “From our humble beginning back in 1946, we’ve come to be the aviation giant in Africa that we are now, pioneering African aviation with many first aviation innovation introductions to Africa along the way.”
Meanwhile, Yadecha said: ”This anniversary is a celebration of unity and diversity. By stepping into the roles of our dedicated ground and flight crew, we honor every individual who has been part of our story. Our service today is a promise of continued service excellence for all our passengers.”
Wholly owned by the country’s government, Ethiopian Airlines was founded on December 21, 1945, and commenced operations on April 8,1946, expanding to international flights in 1951.