Eritrea has prohibited Ethiopian Airlines from operating in the country amid escalating tensions

Starting from September 30, 2024, Eritrea has decided to prohibit Ethiopian Airlines from entering its airspace due to concerns regarding passenger abuse and operational issues.

Similar to an auditor, the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority has highlighted various grievances including luggage theft, frequent flight and baggage delays, and insufficient compensation for affected passengers. As a result, they are recommending that travelers with bookings on the carrier’s flights after September 30 find alternative arrangements.

Asmara is served by Ethiopian Airlines with five weekly flights. There are other carriers on the route, including Saudi Arabian, Turkish, and Egyptian.

Asmara mentioned that despite numerous attempts to address these concerns, Ethiopian Airlines did not take the necessary steps to resolve them.

The Eritrean Civil Authority expressed frustration at the lack of response from Ethiopian Airlines regarding the issues and irregularities faced by the traveling public.

“Considering this, we kindly advise all Ethiopian travelers heading to Eritrea to make necessary changes to their flights and explore alternative options as needed.”

The airline refuted the allegations and requested the Eritrean authorities to provide further clarification regarding their statement.

The Ethiopian Airlines statement mentioned that they have been notified by the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority about the suspension of all Ethiopian Airlines flights to Eritrea starting from September 30, 2024.

“We have not been provided with any details regarding the reasons for this suspension.” 

The decision, detailed in a notice published in the government newspaper “Hadas Eritrea,” was made following reports of ongoing tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors.

Ethiopian has recently made headlines for a concerning incident captured in a video circulating on social media. The footage showed a passenger being removed from a flight, reportedly due to her seat being given to a government minister.

The airline’s management also denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that they have conducted a comprehensive investigation and are committed to providing the public with accurate information.

However, they acknowledged that there was an issue with overbooking passengers on flight ET308 to Nairobi.

The flight encountered an overbooking situation. Three passengers holding standby economy class boarding passes arrived at the boarding gate shortly before the scheduled departure time of the flight. The Airline stated that they would be accommodated on the next available flight.

Last week, Ethiopian Airlines made an announcement stating that passengers outside of Ethiopia are required to purchase tickets using US dollars exclusively.

This directive poses a major challenge for Eritrean travelers, as they used to purchase tickets using the local currency.

Flights between Ethiopia and Eritrea were reinstated in 2018, marking a significant turning point after a long period of hostility. This positive development was a result of a peace agreement between the two neighboring countries, which later earned Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed a Nobel peace prize in the following year.

It represented a major diplomatic achievement, opening the door for the restoration of land transportation, trade, and communication services, all of which had been impacted by the conflict.

The recent disagreement, however, highlights growing tensions, as Abiy persists in his pursuit of a sea route.

Last October, Dr Abiy emphasized that Ethiopia’s demand for sea access is supported by historical evidence and is also a practical necessity. The landlocked status of Ethiopia, with its large population of 120 million, poses economic, demographic, and security vulnerabilities. 

While downplaying the use of force, he emphasized in November, during his address to parliament, that a failure to reach a resolution through negotiations could potentially result in conflict.

Eritrea viewed this matter seriously, given its extensive history of conflict with Ethiopia.

Between 1952 and 1993, Eritrea and its Red Sea ports were under the control of Ethiopia. However, it was through a violent national liberation struggle that Eritrea finally gained its independence.

Some Ethiopian nationalists view Eritrea’s departure as a significant mistake.

Meanwhile, Abiy’s pursuit of ports has also involved Djibouti and Somalia, drawing them into the mix. 

Since the start of this year, Addis and Mogadishu have been in conflict. Ethiopia signed a memorandum on January 1 to utilize the seaports of Somaliland, the separatist federal state.