Solomon Mekonnen, Ethiopian Airlines: “We are showing the world the new faces of Africa”

Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country and its second largest in terms of population. Ethiopia is widely known as the only country in Africa, besides Liberia, not to be colonized by a European power. This month Ethiopians and Africans are celebrating the 120th anniversary of the battle of Adwa. This battle was fought on  March 1st, 1896 between the Ethiopian empire and the Kingdom of Italy near the town of Adwa in the Tigray region. Ethiopian forces under the leadership of Emperor Menelik II defeated the Italian Army sent to conquer the Empire. During the twentieth century, many African nations adopted Ethiopia’s flag colors of green, yellow, and red to proclaim to the world, we too are free as our Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Not only the african flags are an ethiopian legacy on the Continent. With Ethiopian Airlines – founded 70 years ago – Ethiopia is showing Africa as the last frontier of Globalisation.

Ethiopian Airlines is the largest, fastest growing and the most profitable Airline in the African Continent.  In its seven decades of operations, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers. Since the beginning of June 2014 Ethiopian Airlines serves Austria with four times a week flight which in this Winter was reduced to three weekly flight and which will be increased to four times a week starting July 2016.

Mr. Solomon Mekonnen who has been working the past 25 years for the company is the regional Director of Ethiopian Airlines in Austria and Eastern Europe including Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In this interview with simon INOU he speaks about Ethiopian Airlines´s new challenges to dominate the African Sky and its policy to show the  new emerging faces of the mother Continent Africa.

freshzine: For How many years have you been working for Ethiopian Airlines?

Solomon Mekonnen: For the past 25 years in various capacities. I went to the Ethiopian Airlines after my graduation, where I started to work in the accounting department and have worked in different departments with different capacities. At Ethiopian Airlines, I don´t feel like I am an employee but like a shareholder. I have been working for Ethiopian Airlines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nairobi in Kenya and now Vienna is my third Assignment.

Tell us what are your exact duties?

I look after the Operations and Sales in the region of my assignment which have been mentioned above. As you know Ethiopian Airlines operates three times a week from Vienna to Addis Ababa to connect to more than 53 destinations on the African continent. We operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It is my responsability to make sure the operation is viable, the sales and promotional activities are done.

Last year your company made the headlines of worldwide News because you launched for the first time in the Aviation Business the very first All-Women flight crew. Why and What are the importance of women in your company?
It was not only the crew. We are the first Airline worlwide with an all-women Team (From the Planing/ and Operational Departments through technicians to the Pilots). Women have always been part of the success of our company. We are proving that Women can take over all activies at Ethiopian Airlines.

Does that mean you have enough women at the Ethiopian Airlines Academy…
Oh Yes… There are and we as Africans are proud of it. Those women are not only from Ethiopia but from all other African countries too as we are player of PanAfricanism. We are playing the role of almost the National carrier of the African Continent.

Last year your company was one of the most profitable Airline worldwide. What are your goals for this year?
This year we will have the first Airbus A350. Ethiopian Airlines will be the first African A350 operator. Ethiopian Airlines will operate fourteen A350 of which 12 are directly purchased from Airbus and 2 are on lease from AerCap, including this first aircraft. This year Ethiopian Airlines is coming back to New York by the end of June. New York is our third destination in the United States after Washington and Los Angeles.

ou are mixing your fleet…
Yes. We are now growing in size and we have reached a level where we can accommodate multiple fleets. As you know Ethiopian Airlines is the fastest, largest and most profitable Airline on the African Continent. We have now reached a status where we can mix because of the size of our company.

You told us, that your company is coming back to New York? Any reasons for that?
Ethiopian suspended flights to Newark in 2004 to provide nonstop service from Washington to Addis Ababa, with connections to its network in East, Central and Southern Africa. Now we have developed the Washington route and we believe it is time now to develop the New York traffic.

It means there will be direct connections between many african countries and the United States…
Yes. There will be three weekly one-stop flights between New York and Addis Ababa, headquarters of the African Union capital of one of the fastest growing economies in the world. There will be connectivity between New York and many cities in West Africa with Ethiopian’s partner ASKY Airlines, via Lomé, including Lagos, Abidjan, Dakar, Libreville, Douala, N’djamena, Kinshasa, Bamako, Conakry, Ouagadougou, and Niamey.

You have diversified your African destinations. How diverse are your employees?
I think Ethiopian Airlines is the most diverse Company in Africa. People working for us come from many African countries. Those who fly with our company meet them everyday. You won´t only meet Ethiopian crews. We also have Chinese working for Ethiopian Airlines. Austrian pilots and pilots from Eastern European countries showing that we have a global insight. On the continent we have also invested in countries such as Togo (Lomé) and Malawi (Lilongwe) which are currently Ethiopian Airlines hubs respectively in west and South Africa. Addis Ababa is of course the main Hub.

Promoting Africa is your first duty….

Yes we show and promote the brightest side of Africa to the rest of the world. As you know Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and we are proving to the world what Africa can also do worldwide. We are no longer behind. in 2016 we are going to have 18 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. I mean how many European Airlines have them?

Since May 2014 you live in Vienna. How do you cope with the images of your native country Ethiopia in European mainstream Media. Ethiopia is depicted in many European Mainstream Media as a „poor country where people don´t have enough food at a daily basis…“

Let me tell you one thing. When Ebola erupted in those two tiny African countries – Sierra Leone and Liberia – the mindset in European Newspapers was „Ebola in Africa“. Many People in Europe don’t even want to relate with the actual fact. May be it is because their knowledge on the African geography is limited? Our continent is no longer in a position conceived by the European or Americans. Our continent owns 60% of the arable land of the entire world, 90% of Diamond and 40% of the world gold , 30 Millions Square kilometers and just one Billion Inhabitants. Now it is the concept that people have behind their mind that makes difficult to accept the change. Africa is changing. Africa is the future and the last frontier of Globalisation.

There are some rumors saying that Ethiopian Airlines will increase the prices. Is that true?
Ethiopian Airlines works with the most fuel efficient aircraft in the world. The Dreamliners saves 20 percent of fuel. Currently we have the best cost/advantage for our customers. Our prices will remain the same.

Many travellers love Addis Ababa the capital city of Ethiopia. They also complains about how the Airport is small and congested . What are your answers to them?
Yes we understand our clients and it is true about the situation at Addis Ababa Airport. Ethiopian Airlines was really surprised by its own success. We are growing faster than the airport. That Airport was designed to sustain our growth untill 2020. Initially it was built for seven millions passengers per year. Last year we have surpassed that predictable capacity. We have done so many investment to upgrade the capacity but it never matched the growth. Now we are expanding the Airport with an investment worth of around 300 million USD which will suport traffic of around 23 million passengers per annum.

When is the best time to buy a ticket if I would like to travel with Ethiopian Airlines?
April to May is the best time to buy Ethiopian Airlines tickets. Because April is the lowest season. We have special fares during that period. The best is to buy the tickets online at www.ethiopianairlines.com

Since 2014 you are a „Viennese“. How do you feel in Vienna?
This city is a very clean and nice one. People like to relax and have coffee around the corner. it reminds me of Addis Ababa. In Addis everywhere you go you have a coffee shop where you can go, chat, exchange have a Macchiato…

Tell me, what do you like in viennese Cuisine?
What I like in Viennese Cuisine is Wiener Schnitzel

One last message about Africa, travelling in Africa and Ethiopian Airlines…
I would like to invite all of your readers to come and try our unbeatable hospitality and our best products. No airlines in Austria can give the travelers the advantage we can give in term of Price and Timing. In terms of Timing for instance if you depart Friday at 23h20, you don´t loose a day. You just come from your office, pack and then you can go to the airport without loosing one single day of your vacation. Saturday Afternoon you are anywhere in more than 53 Destinations in Africa to start your touring. You enjoy the best with our Dreamliner. You save your money and your time. Event when you come back you arrive in Vienna at 6h30 (5h30 summer time) so you can even go directly to your office without loosing a single day. I invite all to come on Ethiopian Airlines , save their money and their day and enjoy flying with the most modern aircraft on earth. That´s Ethiopia, that´s Africa….

Thank you for your time
You are welcome