Beginning next Monday (October 31), Ethiopian will conduct its inaugural flight to Zurich from Addis Ababa, marking a milestone for the company in Switzerland as Zurich becomes its second destination in Switzerland after Geneva and its 19th destination in Europe.
Ethiopian will operate three weekly flights between its base in Addis Ababa-Bole and Zurich-Kloten Airport, operated via Milan-Malpensa by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 315 seats in two classes (30 in Business and 285 in Economy).
Departures are scheduled Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0:15 to arrive at 7:00 after a one-hour stopover in Italy, return flights leaving Switzerland at 20:30 to land the next day at 7:05 still via Italy.
This departure time facilitates connections with arrivals from Ethiopian’s large night bank of flights, which includes cities in Africa, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo in South America.
Ethiopian Airlines will have no competition on this route, with Zurich also served from Africa by Air Cairo and Tunisair.
The Star Alliance airline currently operates three weekly flights between Addis Abbaba and Geneva, which will take four before the end of the month, therefore, will serve Switzerland every day this winter.
Commenting on the new route, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew said in a statement: “We are pleased to open a new route connecting Switzerland’s financial capital, ZĂĽrich, to more than 130 Ethiopian Airlines destinations via Africa’s political capital, Addis Ababa. The new flight will expand our presence in Switzerland and Europe as a whole and provide better air connectivity between Switzerland and Ethiopia.”
This 19th route to Europe, including Paris and Marseille in France or Brussels in Belgium, ” will also facilitate diplomatic and socio-economic relations not only between Ethiopia and Switzerland, but also between Africa and Europe. As a pan-African carrier, we are committed to further expanding our global network and connecting Africa to the rest of the world better than ever,” said the CEO.
Ethiopian Airlines European schedule for the winter season 2022/2023
According to Aviacionline, the Ethiopian national airline will have an offer of 43,646 seats per week in 146 air operations between Addis Ababa (ADD) and Europe during the next winter season, being the third air operator with the largest capacity between Africa and Europe.
- Brussels (BRU) three times a week on Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-900.
- Geneva (GVA) – Manchester (MAN) four times a week on Boeing 787-9.
- Milan Malpensa (MXP) four times a week on Boeing 777-200LR.
- Milan Malpensa (MXP) – Zurich (ZRH) three times a week on Boeing 787-9.
- Rome (FCO) four times a week on Boeing 777-200LR.
- Rome (FCO) – Marseille (MRS) three times a week on Boeing 777-200LR.
- Athens (ATH) three times a week on Boeing 737-8.
- Frankfurt (FRA) daily flights on Airbus A350-900.
- Istanbul (IST) daily flights on Boeing 737-8.
- London Heathrow (LHR) daily flights on Airbus A350-900.
- Moscow (SVO) three times a week on Boeing 787-8.
- Paris (CDG) daily flights on Airbus A350-900.
- Stockholm (ARN) – Oslo (OSL) daily flights on Boeing 787-9.
- Vienna (VIE) – Brussels (BRU) four times a week on Boeing 777-200LR and 787-9.
Passenger services to Madrid (MAD) and Dublin (DUB) are currently suspended.
