In a statement issued on Wednesday, SCAA raised significant concerns regarding Ethiopian Airlines and its flight operations within Somalia, particularly highlighting issues related to the violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.
APA learned that SCAA, last week, sent a formal letter to Ethiopian Airlines outlining their concerns about the airline’s approach to operating flights to Somali destinations.
Rather than addressing the sovereignty issues directly, Ethiopian Airlines altered its flight information by removing the names of Somali destinations and replacing them with airport codes. While this might appear to be a minor adjustment, it has only intensified the original concerns.
In addition, the SCAA has been receiving numerous complaints from Somali travelers about their experiences with Ethiopian Airlines.
These complaints highlight a disconnect between the airline’s practices and the expectations of Somali passengers, particularly regarding respect for their national identity.
The SCAA has issued a firm deadline to Ethiopian Airlines, stating that if the issues are not resolved by August 23, 2024, all Ethiopian Airlines flights to Somalia will be suspended indefinitely. The authority emphasized that this suspension would occur without any further notice.
In a related development, the Civil Aviation Authority of Eritrea’s Ministry of Transport and Communications has also announced the suspension of Ethiopian Airlines flights.
This suspension will be effective from September 30, 2024, according to a government newspaper called “Hadas Eritrea” and later confirmed by Ethiopian Airlines.
By API
