Ethiopian adds Urumqi; boosts Afro–Asian cargo flows
Ethiopian Airlines has launched a new twice-weekly cargo service between its hub in Addis Ababa and Urumqi (China).
The inaugural flight to the capital of Xinjiang was greeted with a water cannon salute at Diwopu international airport. Services will fly on Mondays and Thursdays, enhancing Ethiopian’s reach in western China.
Ethiopian GCEO Mesfin Tasew said the new route supports "cross-border commerce, supply chain efficiency, and economic integration." Ethiopian now flies to eleven cities in China with 83 weekly flights and operates over 190 weekly services to and f rom Asia. The carrier handles nearly 1 million t of cargo annually and connects over 140 destinations worldwide.
The addition of Urumqi underlines the airline’s ambition to position Addis Ababa as a key global cargo hub and expand its strategic Sino–African air trade corridor. (ah)