Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines flight from Douala to Addis Ababa left 1 hour late, due to a burst tyre, but the flight was very pleasant in the Boeing 787-8. Problems started in Addis. The flight from Addis to Dar was delayed every 30 min due to operational reasons, from 10PM local time until midnight, when they took our boarding passes to issue us hotel vouchers. We were taken to a lounge and given some rice and curry chicken. At 2AM we still had no information, and no boarding passes. After harassing the staff, we were told that "due to the weather", we would have to spend the night in Addis and leave at 10AM. We had to wait for hotel vouchers, which were given to us at 4AM. Total waiting time from the scheduled departure time to getting hotel vouchers was 5 hours! The next day, the 10AM flight was delayed by 1 hour for operational reasons. Good side: we were taken to a nice hotel with clean rooms and bathroom (no hot water in bathrooms with a 12°C temperature outside), and were served breakfast before being taken to the airport at 8AM. Conclusion: we landed at 2PM instead of 2AM. To avoid if you must be there on time.

Cape Town to Roma via Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines. Flight was 1 hour late departing from Cape Town. Plane was a Boeing 787, the confort is normal, food is normal, not the best but not the worst. Enetertainment is available and limited, USB charger in the console. Transit in Addis Ababa was the worst part of the trip. Old airport, small scanning machine, overloaded airport due to the number of people in transit. Definitely, Addis Ababa hub is not prepared to grow. Staff were quiet helpful to speed up and optimize security check. Not a bad experience, but not the best.

Ethiopian Airlines from Mumbai to Mombasa via Addis Ababa. Mumbai to Addis sector, where I was in Economy was very good. The vegetarian food served was below par but the attitude and helpfulness of the cabin crew more than made up for this deficiency. I got an upgrade to Business Class in the Addis to Mombasa sector where it was a Boeing 777 which went to MBA. The cabin crew in this sector too was high class as was my experience with ET earlier too.

London to Zanzibar via Addis Ababa. We flew Ethiopian Airlines and were pleasantly surprised. All flights departed and arrived on time, one even early. The cabin crew were pleasant and attentive. The aircraft were modern (Boeing 787 from ZNZ-ADD) clean and well stocked. Food and drinks were served on all sectors, not inspiring but adequate. In flight entertainment was good - excellent on the 787 - the PA announcements were clear and repeated in 5 languages - and the flight deck kept passengers well informed. Overall we were impressed and would fly that route with Ethiopian again, and recommend it to others, for which it repesented excellent value. Although we had a 7hr lay-over at ADD on the return, the airport unusually has comfortable beds in the transit area to lie on and reasonably priced freshly cooked refreshments (even at 01.00hrs) and drinks in various cafes. It was certainly more comfortable than the lay-over at Dubai airport last year. Warning: - do not buy any form of liquids - water, alcohol, or perfumes at the Addis Ababa duty free. Even when sealed and in an official duty-free bag it will be confiscated at an extra security check just before the departure gate.

Ethiopian Airlines price was fantastic for us as pensioners, £320 return from Dublin to Johannesburg, so we were willing to put up with a little discomfort, but were impressed with most things. Addis Ababa is not the world's idea of a great airport and the ground staff there were most unhelpful and far from organised. It was only a 2hr 25m stopover, as we waited for our connecting flight to Dublin. The announcement, over an antiquated address system, was called as a Canadian flight and via Dublin was never mentioned, caught it by the skin of our teeth. Ground staff at Johannesburg were great and could not have been more helpful. We had 3 seats each from Johannesburg to Addis to relax on for the 4.5hr flight, food acceptable and no worse than other airlines. The planes look well used and a lot of the seat screens did not work. Cabin crew vary from inexperienced to most helpful and just the luck of the draw. If you are a reasonably experienced flight passenger and want value for money go for it. Total journey time on this flight is 16hr 25m each way.

Etiopian Airlines remain the cheapest on this route, service is friendly but anouncement by staff go on for ever. Food remains boring, IFE with poor choice of older movies even if blockbuster section. Games on vod system do not work or do not react to commands givbem by in chair remote. Food remains of poor and quality and serving a warm lunch at 11 am and or 1 am is a strange way of trying to cut expenses, a light breakfast or snack would be far better. Ethiopian has reduced the miles you receive as status miles when flying with them - this of course depends what bookuing class you have reserved your ticket. One more new experience the past few months is when flying in to Addis and getting on to your flight for Tel Aviv security is understandable but new security measures are rude and rediculous. Bole intl airport remains the worse airport i have visited and airport gold lounge of very poor quality.

I flew for the first time on Ethiopian Airlines from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa to Harare in Feb 2016. Unbelievable screw ups! My luggage didn’t arrive and was held in Addis (despite an 8 hr layover!). It came 2 days later even though there are daily flights to Harare. Worse yet, ET completely cancelled my return sector from Harare to Addis (ET 873) without any notice (my email is in the booking file). I only found out by coincidence on checking my booking online. As it was a Sunday and the main city office was closed, I went to the airport to reinstate this sector. Nothing could be done. Go the city office tomorrow, I was told. So, I did and ET office staff first told me my scheduled flight (ET 873) was cancelled. They asked if I could travel a day earlier (and wait 24 hr in Addis for my connecting flight to London-Heathrow). Then, I was told ET 873 wasn’t cancelled after all, and I was given a print-out confirming my flight and a seat on ET 873. Then, trying to check in online, I read a note on my file that there was still a problem with the Harare-Addis sector and I should see the counter check in agent. At airport check-in, I’m told the ET office printout showed a booking in V class but their computer shows U class. (How is that even possible on a single booking?) Even though my original itinerary showed U class, and U is higher than V class, they would not check me in. I waited 45+ minutes for the office and airport staff to correct their problem before being issued a boarding pass. It doesn’t end there. On arrival in London Heathrow (ET 700), I noticed that my previously confirmed aisle seat is now a window seat on my Air Canada (AC 851) flight to Calgary. How can ET even change a confirmed seat on AC when AC couldn’t assign a seat for me on ET prior to my departure? Ethiopian Airlines don’t belong in the Star Alliance. This is my last time flying them.

In comparison to travel time and jet lag, Ethiopian Airlines is one of the best airlines to use. However, great improvement is needed in the food services, we were served the same dish 4 times from Entebbe to Toronto. This is not acceptable by any standard. Secondly the airport connection in Addis is very chaotic without any notification from the airport staff, passengers have to figure their own way out. The seats on the 787 are comfortable enough but if the airline does not take care, in a few months the electronics may fall apart. The management must ensure that they improve the friendliness of stewards towards the passengers and try to get to the standards of the other International airlines in order to make a bigger name in Africa.

My first trip with Ethiopian Airlines from Durban to Jeddah return via Addis Ababa was very disappointing. Air-conditioner was not working properly on flight from Jeddah to Addis Ababa and the cabin was very hot. Requested a bassinet seat and was only given on one of the four flights taken. I pre-ordered vegetarian and fruit platter, and the cabin staff said these meals were not available. Staying hungry on a 9+ hour journey not easy.

Excellent flight and service from Ethiopian on my flights from Washington Dulles to Entebbe via Addis Ababa. Friendly staff, plenty of food and drink, power points in some seats in Economy to charge laptops. Flight was half empty so I got myself 3-seats together (as did all of the last section of the economy cabin). Flight departed and left around on time. A fair number of unruly and loud children on the flight, but that seems to be a standard on long-haul flights to Africa. Addis to Entebbe was good, including a full meal on a 2 hours flight. Only real downside was that the Ethiopian lounge in Addis is a bit of a dive - awful food, very crowded, no showers and few power points. Nevertheless, highly recommended as the best choice for US to East Africa.