Ethiopian Airlines

✅ Verified Review | Flying with Ethiopian was a huge disappointment. The aircraft from Addis to Stockholm was a new Boeing 787, but the entertainment system was down during the entire flight. Our departure from Addis was delayed by one hour as the ground crew tried to fix the system, but without success. The cabin crew were arrogant and inattentive. They simply did not respond to calls. At one time I could see 18 unanswered calls in business class only. I had to physically stop the cabin attendants to get their attention. They apologized to me but left all the other calls unattended. The food was tasteless and boring. For breakfast we got a terrible lukewarm Pizza. We had ordered kids meals for our children, but the cabin attendants did not know this so we had to tell them to bring the right meals. Eventually we just found out that the kids meals hardly differ from the adult meals. A major drawback of Ethiopian is that many connections mean changing flights in Addis Ababa. The airport is dirty (especially the toilets) and totally overcrowded. Passengers are only allowed to enter the waiting areas 90 minutes prior to the flights. Until then they have to wait in the general terminal and sit on the floor just to see all the empty chairs in the closed waiting area. Also the restaurant are owercrowded, overpriced and have unpolite staff. I will avoid Ethiopian in the future.

My family flew with Ethiopian Airlines in July from Dublin to Los Angeles and return the trip was excellent. The airline exceeded our expectations - the legroom on the plane was the best I've ever seen in economy on transatlantic flights. The food was of good quality too. The airline staff were very attentive and nothing seemed to be a problem. I would recommend and would have no problem flying with them again.

✅ Verified Review | I flew with Ethiopian Airlines (Los Angeles to Dublin return) in October 2015 and June 2016 and all 4 flights were excellent. I must say that every single member of staff I encountered from reservations, check-in, boarding, inflight and disembarking were very welcoming, helpful and friendly and all seemed to be 'happy' in their jobs which I find rare in the airline industry in this day and age. The plane was very spacious and legroom is the best I have experienced on transatlantic flights. I found the food very good with a great choice of meals offered and being able to have a 'free' wine (or two) with dinner a nice touch. In October 2015 Ethiopian Airlines was the only airline offering direct flights from Los Angeles to Dublin and although Aer Lingus started operating a direct flight in May 2016, I found that ticket prices for Ethiopian Airlines were almost half the price of Aer Lingus flights for the dates I was looking for. Also on the return flight from Dublin to Los Angeles in October 2015 that although we were told on check-in that there was going to be up to an eight hour delay in departing, all customers were looked after very quickly and very efficiently by friendly staff and within half an hour, we were being taken to a nearby 4* Hotel, treated to full breakfast and lunch in the hotel before being picked up and brought back late afternoon for departure - that to me is proof that Ethiopian Airlines knows how to look after their customers. I am happy to fly 'home' to Ireland with Ethiopian Airlines anytime.

✅ Verified Review | Group of 7 - 4 adults and 3 kids travelled from India Mumbai on the 13 July 2016 to Durban SA via Addis Ababa. We left India late, arrived late for the connecting flight - transported out of the incoming plane into a bus that took us directly onto our connecting plane, we never went into the terminal building. No inflight entertainment for 5.5 hours (except for music via broken head sets). On board we found that our seats had been given to other passengers by the inflight staff - everyone had to be put into their correct seats - some of us were not seated when the plane started moving. The toilets were dirty (not by current passengers) had not been cleaned from the previous flight. Food was poor - beef being offered to passengers who dont eat beef. While serving drinks ice was dropped on my wife. The seats are very uncomfortable, torn and dirty the head rests had grease/oil on it (the cover) like it was had not been changed from the previous flight. We arrived in Durban but our baggage still has not.

✅ Verified Review | I flew a round trip from Dublin to Los Angeles with Ethiopian Airlines and would rate them top notch. The price was extremely competitive, the service on-board very efficient, flight attendants were outstanding - very gracious, kind and attentive. The food was quite nice, the aircraft was clean and so were the toilets. The seats were comfortable with plenty of leg room. The in-flight entertainment was great with lots of choice. All in all, I would say that this was one of the best flights I've been on in a long time. The fact that it is direct makes a big difference too.

✅ Verified Review | Cape Town to Bangkok via Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines. Competitively priced. Addis gates holding area dirty and uncomfortable. All 4 flights were late to take-off (1-2 hours). 3 of the 4 flights the airconditioning on the plane was inadequate and could not be improved despite asking staff. Not sure if this means it is broken. Only the final leg from Addis to Cape Town was a pleasure and a comfortable temperature. The other legs had to be endured. Toilets and galleys dirty. Seats tired. Cracked tray table, broken seat pocket. Stark contrast to Bangkok Airways who were determined not to be late so were waiting for us when we arrived late from Addis and escorted us through security and passport control to the clean comfortable plane to ensure we did not miss it or delay the flight. I do not intend to fly with Ethiopian again.

London Heathrow to Johannesburg via Addis Ababa. This was my first time flying with this particular Star Alliance member, Ethiopian Airlines, through our Aeroplan points. It started off great. The staff are super friendly and helpful and throughout the whole thing the flight attendants in particular were amazing. The good started and ended there. After electrical malfunctioning of the plane we waited on board for 4.5 hrs before being told to disembark due to the difficulties the plane was having. Then we were told a new flight would be scheduled for us in the morning. The catch? No hotels could be provided due to no availability. They provided camping mats and thin blankets for us to sleep on the floor of the terminal. We missed all our connecting flights and needed a way to get to BFN in time to attend a meeting. Trying to get information out of anyone in order to get our bags and cancel our tickets was impossible even with the help of the Heathrow Information people (who were extremely nice, and tried to be helpful as possible), and other airport staff getting involved. While waiting for the luggage we requested back we watched the poor staff try and maintain order to a very angry group of people storming the gate. Even after the make up flights departure time we still had to wait a horrendous amount of time to get our luggage. This flight, ET701, was a joke.

Dublin to Los Angeles with Ethiopian Airlines. The service was good. The plane could do with better cleaning when connecting in Dublin, but fine - food wasn't 100% but is it ever. Was great getting two suitcases each when traveling to the USA. Would travel again and had no major concerns, very reasonable prices.

✅ Verified Review | Flew Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. Check-in was swift as was the passport check at Addis airport. I was flying with a *A Gold Card holder and so was able to use the ‘Cloud Nine’ lounge at Addis. This lounge falls far below the standard I would expect of a premium lounge. It was overcrowded, dark and unwelcoming. On board the aircraft we were offered a hot meal. It was very basic airline fare – chicken and rice, a very hard bread role and some sort of sweet offering (which to be honest I have forgotten about). The seats were old and in disrepair. The fabric looked tired and scruffy. Toilets became more and more filthy during this short flight – I did not see the flight attendants check them once (I was in the back row). I am sorry to say that once again, I was not impressed. Landed at NBO and immigration was via the new makeshift terminal. NBO airport is streets ahead of Addis and will only get better as the new terminals are opened. ET gets you from A to B, but with little comfort or customer service.

✅ Verified Review | Mumbai to Khartoum via Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines. It took me 1 hour 40 minutes to get a boarding pass from the Check-in counter and there were people jumping the queues as the staff was least bothered to organise the long queues. There was a delay of 3 hours in departure which resulted in missing the connecting flights for onward journey. The local Ethiopian Airline staff at Addis Ababa had no clue of the late arriving transfer passengers (inspite of boarding passes issued at Mumbai). They were so arrogant and insensitive that after a 1.40 hour check in + 3 hour delay + 5 hour flying time, we were all made to stand at the transfer desk without water or seating. There was only 1 staff who was cancelling and re-issuing new boarding passes for next available flight which took 2 hours. When the passengers got angry, they offered food coupons which can be redeemed only for Chicken gravy, Dry vegetables and rice along with bread and a bottle of water. The vegetarians had to eat plain Rice with Dry vegetables (no curry). No Tea or Coffee was available. The connecting flights were from 5 to 7 hours later. This happened with me on 12th May 2016 - Flight ET 641. Again while returning by ET 345 from Khartoum to Addis Ababa on 16th May, there was no vegetarian meal on board.