Ethiopian Airlines Halts Flights to Eritrean Capital Asmara

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the suspension of its flights to Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, citing operational concerns.

Due to difficult operational conditions, Ethiopian Airlines has ceased operating flights to Eritrea. The suspension was prompted by Eritrea’s declaration that it plans to terminate all Ethiopian Airlines services before the month ends.

The resumption of flights between the two countries occurred in 2018, subsequent to a peace treaty that terminated twenty years of enmity and culminated in Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize.

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According to diplomatic sources, the suspension of flights implies a decline in relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara. However, no resurgence of conflict is anticipated.

In 1998, a border war led to the termination of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Recently, tensions have resurfaced due to Eritrea’s absence from peace negotiations that concluded the conflict in Tigray.

Assisting affected passengers with rebooking or refunds was announced by Ethiopian Airlines, which is Africa’s largest airline in terms of revenue. However, the specific operational challenges were not specified. As for the suspension, there has been no comment from Eritrean officials.