(01-03-24) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) — The company announced on Friday that Ethiopian Airlines ceased its flights over Somali airspace, affecting its Asian-bound routes. This decision follows recent threats to aviation safety in the northern regions of Somaliland, exacerbating existing regional tensions.
“The decision was taken due to concerns over the safety of our flights,” said Mesef Tase, General Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, in a statement to the press. He added that the move was necessitated by inadequate responses from Somali air traffic services, which have recently come under scrutiny.
The suspension traces back to an incident last week when aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways were involved in a near-miss, attributed to restrictions imposed by the Somaliland government on the use of its airspace. “Under international standards, we notified the relevant civil aviation bodies in Somalia and Ethiopia immediately after the incident,” Tase elaborated. “Unfortunately, we have not received a satisfactory response.”
Despite discontinuing flights through Somali airspace, Tase confirmed that the airline’s operations to Mogadishu and Hargeisa would continue as usual. “We are now rerouting our flights through Djibouti’s airspace, which does not incur additional costs,” he stated, ensuring that the airline’s commitment to passenger safety remains uncompromised.
The cessation of flights comes against the backdrop of escalating maritime tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, with both nations locked in a dispute over Ethiopia’s territorial ambitions in the Somali Sea. This latest aviation issue adds another layer of complexity to the already strained bilateral relations.
Halqabsi News
