Ethiopian Airlines

✅ Trip Verified | Athens to Entebbe via Addis Ababa booked for April. They canceled the flight, and is refusing to refund. They offered an open ticket which does not meet our needs. They claimed that we are not eligible because of the non-Refundable status of the ticket.

✅ Trip Verified | My son and his friend booked tickets to fly from Johannesburg to Chengdu (connecting on to Shenzhen) via Addis Ababa. The departure date was 02 April 2020. South Africa enforced a lockdown from 27 March to 16 April. China enforced a lockdown on 28 March 2020. Despite several attempts to contact the airline locally, we were unsuccessful. Finally after a long, expensive wait, we contacted the call centre in Ethiopia. We were informed that the flight had not been cancelled but as the airline was not allowed to land, there would be no flight. The airline was offering a travel voucher and cancellation with a refund was available with a cancellation fee of USD150 and a no show fee of USD50 with no refund. The difference in airfare would be payable when the voucher was to be used, if applicable. On 27 March we received email notifications for each leg of the flight that the flights were cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. While it is understandable that the airline would not want to lose money, Ethiopian Airlines are using coercion. Customers have no control over changed flight prices at the point of flying after COVID-19. So if one opted for the travel voucher, a customer may have to pay more for a ticket. Should one opt to cancel, the customer would have to pay USD150. The fair position would be to either refund the customer with no penalties, as it is not the customer’s fault, or to offer the voucher with an assurance that there will be no price difference to be paid later.

✅ Trip Verified | Djibouti to Addis Ababa. Every thing was alright but only one type food was provided at the economy class. Considering the fasting months in Ethiopia orthodox Christian and vegan customers preferences only chicken sandwich is not enough option and this can’t reflect the flagship airline standards. I hope the management team will consider this. I wish you all best in this critical time of covid19 .

✅ Trip Verified | I was very disappointed with the ground service. The staff didn't have the correct information about my flight and that of my children. They marked our tickets as used and confirmed that our flight had reached the destinations when in fact we were all held back. I was in transit in Addis and the kids were held back in Bujumbura due to bad weather conditions instead of landing in Kigali as planned, I understand a flight not reaching its destination but I don't understand why the company chose to withhold this information especially from a parent or give me the wrong info altogether, I cannot tell you how much panic this misinformation caused. The ground staff acted like we the clients were bothering them every time we asked for information. I asked a lady if she could make a simple phone call to their office in Kigali or to immigration to at least confirm if their passports had been recorded in the system and I wasn't granted even that. Do better.

✅ Trip Verified | Buenos Aires to Manila via Addis Ababa. I was expecting the worst, but I got surprised, as the flights were very pleasant, the staff was very nice. They gave us lots of food and things like blankets, toothbrush and paste, socks, eyes cover, and considering I've had longer flights with more expensive airlines that did not provide any of these, I found it very nice. The only thing to point out is that in my second flight the screens wouldn't work, I asked for help to one of the members of the crew but she never came back.

✅ Trip Verified | Cape Town to London via Addis Ababa. Ethiopian has nice new aircraft in the A350 and some of their cabin crew are lovely. However their pre/after service care that is appalling. Bumped off a flight from Cape Town to London because the previous days flight was overbooked - our flight was overbooked - they put an A350 (smaller seating config) on the route instead of the 777 as had technical issue. Despite having queued for 2.5 hours at check in and the a further four house at the ticket desk, we were whittled off to a hotel for the night and promised to be on the next days plane. Things happen and generally accepted it up to this point. Arrived at airport next day and only ticketed to Addis but promised when we get to Addis would get onward ticket there as they could not issue in CPT. Didn't not believe as need an aisle seat and so was apprehensive. Also informed $300 voucher only usable for a flight or could convert to $150 cash at Heathrow at the ticket desk upon arrival. Got to Addis no onward ticket and when squeezed on the flight told I had to have a middle seat -informed they would ask all passengers on boarding to see if someone would swap. I was fortunate that someone next to me would swap. Upon arrival at LHR went to ticket office and woman behind counter says we dont issue cash here you will need to call customer service - called customer service who said or you will need to email the London office to find our what to do. Emailed the London office and a number of other offices 4 times and not had a response.

✅ Trip Verified | Awasa to Addis Ababa. We were told to board the aircraft by foot which was normal. However, once inside the aircraft, there was no air conditioning circulation. We were stuck in that condition throughout taxi. It finally cool down to acceptable condition after the plane took off. Worst of all was when flight attendant insisted on opening the window blinds, which let in more sun and heat.

✅ Trip Verified | Mekele to Khartoum via Addis Ababa. Total of 7 flights and fully satisfied. During a long trip around Ethiopia we flew Ethiopian 7 times, 6 times on domestic routes and once internationally. Five of those flights were between 40-50 minutes, and even so, we got a snack (pound cake) and a soft drink - if there is any time left you can even ask for a hot coffee. One flight was slightly late, the night before Timkat we were flying to Gondar and it seems that due to huge volume they changed our plane, so there was some confusion at the gate. Furthermore, once on board, there was a technical issue - all in all we were about 2 hrs late taking off, made up half an hour and arrived 1.5 hr late in Gondar. During the waiting time the crew served refreshing drinks and all was calm. The international flight was 1.5 hr long, to Sudan, and once on board the engines were off and there was no A/C, which, however, meant that some nervous passengers started harassing the crew insisting they get them complaint forms during take off! It was quite annoying and unnecessary because once the engines were on the temperature went down so much I needed my jacket. Anyway, some people just like to complain. Every time our bags made it to the airport, even when we had very, very short connections between two Ethiopian flights. During the flight from Lalibela, the plane was waiting for several people who lazily strolled the tarmac to the plane (both Ethiopians and tourists), while the rest of us nervously waited with our short connections in mind. However, at ADD, where we made connections, the second flight waited for us, so we ultimately made it to our final destination, our bags included. All in all, we could not be happier with our Ethiopian experience and wish them best of luck in their ambitious plans for the future.

✅ Trip Verified | Addis Ababa to Johannesburg, both my suit cases were destroyed and I have been struggling to get feedback about a claim or at least to tell me that they are not going to compensate me so that I can take it up with my travel insurance company. On the same flight they lost one of my bags. This at least they found and delivered to my residence with 3 broken wheels. I have phoned and emailed an only received one message which did not help in resolving the complaint. It is like they are deliberately ignoring my emails and hoping it will go away. The last flight was delayed in departing Beijing and as a result I missed the connecting flight.

Not Verified | Nairobi to London Heathrow via Addis Ababa. It was the first time I have flown with Ethiopian due to my BA flight being cancelled. The service overall was quite good however the after care service after I left my blazer on board was awful. Initially they communicated to me that they had my blazer, then every time I went to pick it up the office was closed or they would take too long to respond to my messages. In the end they clam my £400 blazer has disappeared from the London office during what they call a ‘cleaning audit’. Awful and untrustworthy with no offer to compensate or resolve!