Summary
- Air Algérie has opened a direct link between Algiers and Addis Ababa, strengthening bilateral ties between Algeria and Ethiopia.
- The brand new route offers a chance for collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines to extend connectivity in Africa.
- Algiers Airport expects a lift in passenger traffic by 2024 with the addition of latest international connections, including Latest York and Caracas.
Algeria’s flag carrier has opened a direct link between Algiers and Addis Ababa, marking a momentous occasion for Algeria and Ethiopia. The inaugural flight was welcomed by the Ethiopian President and a number of other other delegates.
The service from Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) to Addis Ababa Bole International (ADD) was operated on September 22 with the Boeing 737-800. Flight AH5370 departed ALG at 02:06 and arrived at ADD at 10:43, where it was treated with the normal water cannon salute.
This was followed by a ceremony attended by various stakeholders, including Algeria’s Transport Minister, Air Algérie’s General Director, and Ethiopian Airlines’ CEO. The return flight AH5371 departed ADD on September 23 at 09:57 and arrived at ALG at 15:04.
A crucial connection
This connection comes a couple of month before the airline’s scheduled passenger service is about to begin. Flights to Addis were expected to start out on October 30, with a twice-weekly frequency. Nonetheless, the carrier has not opened bookings yet.
Nonetheless, it is a historic step towards strengthening the bilateral ties between the 2 countries. On the ceremony, the Algerian Transport Minister highlighted that the opening of the brand new route is a direct results of the Ethiopian President’s visit to Algeria in July 2022.
Photo: Boeing
Adding Addis Ababa means Air Algérie will serve 46 international destinations, including nine in Africa. This also presents a chance to spice up cooperation with Africa’s largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines. On the event, Ethiopian’s CEO Ato Mesfin Tasew expressed the importance of the brand new route and his company’s intentions to cooperate with Air Algérie to extend connectivity in Africa.
Recent connections
The Algerian carrier recently inaugurated its longest connection in Africa, with flights between Algiers and Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB). The route was initially launched with a diplomatic flight last month, while scheduled passenger flights commenced on September 21.
ALG-JNB flights are operated twice-weekly on Sundays and Thursdays, while the return service is operated on Mondays and Thursdays with the Airbus A330. The 4,619-mile journey is Air Algérie’s second-longest route after Algiers-Beijing (5,671 mi). The carrier can also be eyeing flights to Douala, Cameroon, to expand its Sub-Saharan Africa network.
The airline can also be expanding beyond the continent’s borders, with non-stop flights to Russia. The service, which began on July 26, is operated between Algiers and St. Petersburg (LED) 3 times every week with the Boeing 737.
Algiers airport connections
Algiers airport is one in every of the continent’s principal Northern gateways, offering multiple connections for passengers traveling from Sub-Saharan to Europe. This 12 months, it also served as a crucial hub for pilgrims traveling for the religious holidays—about 2,900 pilgrims transmitted through ALG from various destinations to Jeddah in 2023.