Addis Ababa -- - Ethiopian Airlines disclosed that it will begin flying to the Sudanese town of Juba effective November 16, 2006,bringing its total destinations in Africa to 29.
According to a press release sent today, the airline will make three flights in a week with same day return to Juba. Juba is a river port and the southern terminus of traffic along the White Nile,with highways connecting it to Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo,it stated. Ethiopian’s new service has been carefully designed to provide business travelers to and from Juba a direct link to Addis Ababa with convenient connections to the rest of Africa,Europe,the Middle East and vice versa,the press release elaborated. The new flight to Juba brings Ethiopia’s total destinations in Africa to 29 and to 47 worldwide,it was learnt. AND / (WIC)
Friday, October 27, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
eMTV= Ethiopian Music TV by Yebbo.com
eMTV= Ethiopian Music TV
Yebbo Travel Agency brings few powerful latest internet technologies to its web site visitors. Thank you for the hard working men and women in the internet and digital technology and companies like Google.com, Blogger.com, Youtube.com, Fliker.com, Unicode.org, and Yahoo.com now Yebbo Communication Network and Yebbo Travel Agency cooperating with Ethiotrans.com are utilizing these web sites and their technologies to bring Ethiopian and Africa to the global audiences. Now the Yebbo.com's eMTV = Ethiopian Music TV by Yebbo.com is podcasting and broadcasting selected Ethiopian hit music, shows and comedies to its audiences. Thank you for the Google.com and Youtube.com now we are able to host our video collections and we are able to bring other people's video collections and share it with Ethiopian music lovers. On the celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium, Yebbo Communication Network has dedicated the period between Sep 1, 2006 – Sep 30, 2007 as Year of Ethiopian Millennium Celebration.
During this period Yebbo Communication Network will provide several travel and tour related services and announcements such as travel news, travel warnings, Ethiopian music and video shows, entrainments and other travel related services. Also we are offering airlines ticketing, vista processing, passport application services, passport picture services, translation service and notary public services (only CA) to our customers.
Yebbo Travel Agency is specialized on African and Ethiopian tour packages. When you want to fly to Ethiopian just call
Yebbo Travel by www.Yebbo.com
4535 30th Street, Suite 106
San Diego, CA 92116
http://www.yebbo.com/ info@yebbo.com
San Diego (619) 255 5530
Los Angeles: (213) 291 8049
New York: (347) 293 0766
Washington, DC: (202)-536-4656
London: 02 07 0960849
Fax: 619 793 5824
Gateway to the motherland
We sale Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Emirates Airlines and Other domestic and international airlines depend on your travel route. For more information please call us or visit us online http://www.yebbo.com/
Yebbo Travel Agency brings few powerful latest internet technologies to its web site visitors. Thank you for the hard working men and women in the internet and digital technology and companies like Google.com, Blogger.com, Youtube.com, Fliker.com, Unicode.org, and Yahoo.com now Yebbo Communication Network and Yebbo Travel Agency cooperating with Ethiotrans.com are utilizing these web sites and their technologies to bring Ethiopian and Africa to the global audiences. Now the Yebbo.com's eMTV = Ethiopian Music TV by Yebbo.com is podcasting and broadcasting selected Ethiopian hit music, shows and comedies to its audiences. Thank you for the Google.com and Youtube.com now we are able to host our video collections and we are able to bring other people's video collections and share it with Ethiopian music lovers. On the celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium, Yebbo Communication Network has dedicated the period between Sep 1, 2006 – Sep 30, 2007 as Year of Ethiopian Millennium Celebration.
During this period Yebbo Communication Network will provide several travel and tour related services and announcements such as travel news, travel warnings, Ethiopian music and video shows, entrainments and other travel related services. Also we are offering airlines ticketing, vista processing, passport application services, passport picture services, translation service and notary public services (only CA) to our customers.
Yebbo Travel Agency is specialized on African and Ethiopian tour packages. When you want to fly to Ethiopian just call
Yebbo Travel by www.Yebbo.com
4535 30th Street, Suite 106
San Diego, CA 92116
http://www.yebbo.com/ info@yebbo.com
San Diego (619) 255 5530
Los Angeles: (213) 291 8049
New York: (347) 293 0766
Washington, DC: (202)-536-4656
London: 02 07 0960849
Fax: 619 793 5824
Gateway to the motherland
We sale Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Emirates Airlines and Other domestic and international airlines depend on your travel route. For more information please call us or visit us online http://www.yebbo.com/
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
HK, Ethiopia sign air services agreement
HK, Ethiopia sign air services agreement
Hong Kong and Ethiopia have signed an air services agreement, providing a legal framework for the establishment of air links between the two places.
Speaking at the signing ceremony today, Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Stephen Ip said: "To enhance Hong Kong's position as an international and regional aviation centre, we will continue to expand our air services network in line with our progressive liberalisation policy in aviation."
Ethiopia has an extensive aviation network for eastern and central Africa. More air links between Hong Kong and Ethiopia will encourage more passenger and cargo traffic between eastern and central Africa and Asia to flow through Hong Kong. At present, Ethiopian Airlines is providing three weekly passenger services between Hong Kong and Addis Ababa.
The agreement with Ethiopia is Hong Kong's 56th air services agreement with foreign aviation partners.
Speaking at the signing ceremony today, Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Stephen Ip said: "To enhance Hong Kong's position as an international and regional aviation centre, we will continue to expand our air services network in line with our progressive liberalisation policy in aviation."
Ethiopia has an extensive aviation network for eastern and central Africa. More air links between Hong Kong and Ethiopia will encourage more passenger and cargo traffic between eastern and central Africa and Asia to flow through Hong Kong. At present, Ethiopian Airlines is providing three weekly passenger services between Hong Kong and Addis Ababa.
The agreement with Ethiopia is Hong Kong's 56th air services agreement with foreign aviation partners.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Ethiopian, Gabon Airlines Sign MoU
ENAAddis Ababa
The Ethiopian Airlines and the Gabon Airlines yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding MoU to cooperate in technical and manpower training.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Girma Wake and Gabon Airlines President Director General Christian Bongo signed the MoU.
Speaking on the occasion Girma said that the Ethiopian Airlines would provide technical assistance and training to the Gabon Airlines until the airway is well equipped.
The CEO said his airline would train Gabonese pilots and provide maintenance service to Gabonese aircrafts.
Girma said the Ethiopian Airlines has the responsibility of extending support to airways in Africa for most of them are in bankruptcy.
He said the Gabonese Airlines has requested its Ethiopian counterpart to increase its flight to Libreville, Gabon, which is now twice a week, for it is profitable.
Bongo on his part said that the Gabon Airlines resumed operation a year ago after closure and needs Ethiopian Airlines support.
He said the Ethiopian Airlines would help the Gabon Airlines in training its pilots and maintaining planes.
Bongo further indicated that the experience the Airlines would get from the Ethiopian Airlines, the most popular in Africa, is significant.
The Ethiopian Airlines and the Gabon Airlines yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding MoU to cooperate in technical and manpower training.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Girma Wake and Gabon Airlines President Director General Christian Bongo signed the MoU.
Speaking on the occasion Girma said that the Ethiopian Airlines would provide technical assistance and training to the Gabon Airlines until the airway is well equipped.
The CEO said his airline would train Gabonese pilots and provide maintenance service to Gabonese aircrafts.
Girma said the Ethiopian Airlines has the responsibility of extending support to airways in Africa for most of them are in bankruptcy.
He said the Gabonese Airlines has requested its Ethiopian counterpart to increase its flight to Libreville, Gabon, which is now twice a week, for it is profitable.
Bongo on his part said that the Gabon Airlines resumed operation a year ago after closure and needs Ethiopian Airlines support.
He said the Ethiopian Airlines would help the Gabon Airlines in training its pilots and maintaining planes.
Bongo further indicated that the experience the Airlines would get from the Ethiopian Airlines, the most popular in Africa, is significant.
Banks Competing for Visa Card Primacy
Issayas Mekuria
Dashen Bank S.C and Barclaycard Kenya are deep into a dispute over who legitimately has the right to be Ethiopia's Visa card service provider.
For more than 30 years, Barclaycard services only existed at Ethiopian Airlines and the stores run by the Ethiopian Tourist Trade Enterprise. But that changed six years ago, when Barclaycard Kenya began being represented in Ethiopia by CcSI.
Since then, CcSI has been offering VISA, MasterCard, American Express and JCB card services. Today, CcSI has over 70 commercial outlets that deal in credit card services, 34 of which are active in using the point of sales (POS) terminals that CcSI installed.
Dashen Bank was one of these outlets, offering Visa based cash advance for four of those years. But in March 2006, Dashen became a VISA Association Principal in its own right. And in July, when Dashen started operating its own POS at different outlets and providing its own VISA card services, a dispute was sparked between the two parties.
According to the VISA Association regulations, if a local bank is providing VISA services, then a cross-border VISA service from another VISA principal is not permitted. Therefore, in accordance to this, Dashen requested Barclaycard to cease providing VISA card services in Ethiopia as it was now the legitimate principal in the country.
"There is no reason for a dispute to arise, all we are saying is that the norm should be followed," said, Lulseged Teferi, president of Dashen Bank. "We have no problems with another local Bank becoming a VISA principal."
Nikodimos Makonnen, Managing Director of CcSI, confirmed Dashen's claim that a Principal Bank cannot perform cross-border services.
"Nevertheless, the case of Barclaycard is looked upon in a different light," he said.
Barclaycard in Nairobi has been giving service for more than 35 years in over 42 African countries. Since most African banks did not provide credit card services, Barclaycard has been providing cross-border services quite freely.
Nikidimos told Fortune that of course Barclaycard believes in upholding the VISA regulations.
But he argued that because Barclays has been the sole VISA principal in Africa for a very long time, the British Bank had been allowed to be a principal for other credit card businesses, such as MasterCard and American Express, although VISA regulations had it that its principals could not. According to the managing director, Barclays has 25,000 card users in Africa, with 50pc holding a VISA, 35pc being Mastercard and American Express holding 10pc.
Barclays Bank was founded in the United Kingdom in 1896. Although the Bank's headquarters are in London, Barclays has 815 branches around the world and has 111 billion Pounds Sterling in capital. Barclaycard has 95,000 international retailer relationships and 5.3 million international cards in issue.
When Dashen became a VISA principal and started performing its duties, Barclays moved on to United Bank S.C, which will now be responsible for the cash advance work that Dashen used to perform.
United signed the contract with Barclaycard on July 26, 2006. It has since started rendering cash advance services from its branches at the Addis Abeba Hilton Hotel and on Africa Avenue in Bole.
"Because I want my Bank to become strong in foreign currency, I pounced on the opportunity to sign with Barclays as soon as I found out that Dashen finalized its contract," Birhanu Getaneh, president of United Bank told Fortune. "I have no idea about the controversy that has arisen between Dashen and Barclays."
Despite this statement, Birhanu WoldeSelassie, vice-president at Dashen, wrote a letter three weeks ago to United Bank stating that now that Dashen was a VISA principal, it was not right for United to sign with Barclaycard and render the same services. United Bank President has chosen not to comment on matters concerning the letter.
"There is nothing antagonistic between United Bank and us," said Lulseged. "All we are saying is that the regulations should be upheld, not that another local bank should not get into this aspect of the business."
According to the National Bank of Ethiopia, transactions worth beween 1.5 to two million dollars take place through VISA, MasterCard and American Express in just one month. United Bank serves more than 100 customers a month and receives five percent commission.
"A lot of money is made through this commission; hence it is not surprising that a controversy should arise around it," a local banker said.
Dashen has invested more than three million dollars to render card services. The president told Fortune that as a VISA principal, Dashen will not be receiving the five percent commission, but that the wider customer base that it intends to have will in the long-run benefit the Bank more than the commission will.
"The main reason for being a VISA principal is to ensure that the card service is of a better quality as well as more convenient for card users, which will in turn help us widen our customer base" said Lulseged.
Before it started providing credit card services in July, Dashen Bank provided cash advance services from its Sheraton Branch. After becoming VISA's principal, it has subscribed 1, 672 card users and has POS in 54 commercial outlets.
Dashen had written a letter to the VISA Association requesting that Barclaycard be stripped of its privilege to provide VISA card services in Ethiopia. Fortune was unable to get a hold of the response given by the Association if any was actually given.
Addis Fortune
Nikodimos told Fortune that as long as Dashen provides efficient VISA card services, Barclaycard intends to respect the Association's regulations and slowly move out of the market.
Dashen Bank S.C and Barclaycard Kenya are deep into a dispute over who legitimately has the right to be Ethiopia's Visa card service provider.
For more than 30 years, Barclaycard services only existed at Ethiopian Airlines and the stores run by the Ethiopian Tourist Trade Enterprise. But that changed six years ago, when Barclaycard Kenya began being represented in Ethiopia by CcSI.
Since then, CcSI has been offering VISA, MasterCard, American Express and JCB card services. Today, CcSI has over 70 commercial outlets that deal in credit card services, 34 of which are active in using the point of sales (POS) terminals that CcSI installed.
Dashen Bank was one of these outlets, offering Visa based cash advance for four of those years. But in March 2006, Dashen became a VISA Association Principal in its own right. And in July, when Dashen started operating its own POS at different outlets and providing its own VISA card services, a dispute was sparked between the two parties.
According to the VISA Association regulations, if a local bank is providing VISA services, then a cross-border VISA service from another VISA principal is not permitted. Therefore, in accordance to this, Dashen requested Barclaycard to cease providing VISA card services in Ethiopia as it was now the legitimate principal in the country.
"There is no reason for a dispute to arise, all we are saying is that the norm should be followed," said, Lulseged Teferi, president of Dashen Bank. "We have no problems with another local Bank becoming a VISA principal."
Nikodimos Makonnen, Managing Director of CcSI, confirmed Dashen's claim that a Principal Bank cannot perform cross-border services.
"Nevertheless, the case of Barclaycard is looked upon in a different light," he said.
Barclaycard in Nairobi has been giving service for more than 35 years in over 42 African countries. Since most African banks did not provide credit card services, Barclaycard has been providing cross-border services quite freely.
Nikidimos told Fortune that of course Barclaycard believes in upholding the VISA regulations.
But he argued that because Barclays has been the sole VISA principal in Africa for a very long time, the British Bank had been allowed to be a principal for other credit card businesses, such as MasterCard and American Express, although VISA regulations had it that its principals could not. According to the managing director, Barclays has 25,000 card users in Africa, with 50pc holding a VISA, 35pc being Mastercard and American Express holding 10pc.
Barclays Bank was founded in the United Kingdom in 1896. Although the Bank's headquarters are in London, Barclays has 815 branches around the world and has 111 billion Pounds Sterling in capital. Barclaycard has 95,000 international retailer relationships and 5.3 million international cards in issue.
When Dashen became a VISA principal and started performing its duties, Barclays moved on to United Bank S.C, which will now be responsible for the cash advance work that Dashen used to perform.
United signed the contract with Barclaycard on July 26, 2006. It has since started rendering cash advance services from its branches at the Addis Abeba Hilton Hotel and on Africa Avenue in Bole.
"Because I want my Bank to become strong in foreign currency, I pounced on the opportunity to sign with Barclays as soon as I found out that Dashen finalized its contract," Birhanu Getaneh, president of United Bank told Fortune. "I have no idea about the controversy that has arisen between Dashen and Barclays."
Despite this statement, Birhanu WoldeSelassie, vice-president at Dashen, wrote a letter three weeks ago to United Bank stating that now that Dashen was a VISA principal, it was not right for United to sign with Barclaycard and render the same services. United Bank President has chosen not to comment on matters concerning the letter.
"There is nothing antagonistic between United Bank and us," said Lulseged. "All we are saying is that the regulations should be upheld, not that another local bank should not get into this aspect of the business."
According to the National Bank of Ethiopia, transactions worth beween 1.5 to two million dollars take place through VISA, MasterCard and American Express in just one month. United Bank serves more than 100 customers a month and receives five percent commission.
"A lot of money is made through this commission; hence it is not surprising that a controversy should arise around it," a local banker said.
Dashen has invested more than three million dollars to render card services. The president told Fortune that as a VISA principal, Dashen will not be receiving the five percent commission, but that the wider customer base that it intends to have will in the long-run benefit the Bank more than the commission will.
"The main reason for being a VISA principal is to ensure that the card service is of a better quality as well as more convenient for card users, which will in turn help us widen our customer base" said Lulseged.
Before it started providing credit card services in July, Dashen Bank provided cash advance services from its Sheraton Branch. After becoming VISA's principal, it has subscribed 1, 672 card users and has POS in 54 commercial outlets.
Dashen had written a letter to the VISA Association requesting that Barclaycard be stripped of its privilege to provide VISA card services in Ethiopia. Fortune was unable to get a hold of the response given by the Association if any was actually given.
Addis Fortune
Nikodimos told Fortune that as long as Dashen provides efficient VISA card services, Barclaycard intends to respect the Association's regulations and slowly move out of the market.
Ethiopian Airlines set to buy five aircrafts
Ethiopian Airlines set to buy five aircrafts
By Kaleyesus Bekele (The Reporter)
Ethiopian Airlines, on Thursday, announced it planned to purchase five new aircrafts.
In a joint press conference organized by Airbus and Ethiopian at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Girma Wake, Ethiopian CEO, said that Ethiopian needed to buy five jetliners. Girma told journalists that the Airline had invited Boeing and Airbus to present proposals. Ethiopian has been considering buying the Airbus A350 and Boeing B787-9 (dreamliner) aircrafts. "We are holding talks with the manufacturers. But we have not yet decided on which aircraft to aquire," Girma said.
In 2004 Ethiopian evaluated the A 350 and B787 dreamliner aircrafts and opted to buy the latter. In January 2005, Ethiopian placed orders for ten B787 aircraft with a total value of 1.2 billion dollars. Delivery for these aircraft will begin in 2008. "We opted to buy the B787 because it was more convenient to bring the aircraft into our system. This does not mean that A350 is a bad aircraft," Girma told journalists. "There is a neck to neck competition between the two aircraft manufacturers," he added.
As part of its fleet modernization program, Ethiopian has acquired eleven B767 and B737 aircrafts in the past three years. However, the growing number of passengers has prompted the airline to buy additional aircraft. Recently, it leased an A330-200 from a company called Societede Transport Aerien Regional. According to Girma, the comparison was made based on the price of the aircraft, its performance and the investment that was required to introduce the aircraft into Ethiopian's system.
The Airbus A380, the ever largest passenger aircraft, this week, conducted high altitude test flights in Addis Ababa. The new aircraft, equipped with four engines manufactured by Alliance Engine, and weighing about 560 tons, landed in Addis Ababa last Monday. It flew seven hours directly from Toulouse, France to Addis Ababa.
The A380 crew, which comprises of test pilots, flight engineers and other experts from the European Aviation Safety Agency, conducted several test flights in Addis Ababa in the past four days.
Captain Etienne Tarnowski, head of the crew, said that the particular A380 he commanded was the fifth prototype aircraft. He added that the performance of the aircraft was tested under extreme conditions. "Addis Ababa was selected for the test flight for its high altitude [7,500 feet above sea level] and for its airport facility."
Alemayehu Tekle, general manager of the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise, said that the new runway and taxiway at the airport demonstrated it was of a high standard by accommodating the A380 aircraft. President Girma Woldegiorgis, Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Junedin Saddo, Minister of Transport and Communication and the ambassadors of Germany, UK, France and Spain and other officials visited the prototype aircraft.
The A380 is a 555-seater aircraft and double decker which consumes three litters of fuel per 100 kms per seat. The number of seats could be increased up to 800 by changing the configuration. The price of the aircraft is 300 million dollars. Airbus spent 10.7 billion dollars on the A380 aircraft development program. So far five A380 prototype aircraft have been manufactured. Four of them are equipped with Rolls-Roce engines.
Mr Hadi Akoum, vice president of customer relations for Africa, said that the A380 has attracted about 200 orders from 16 airlines. Air France, Lufthansa, Singapore, China Southern, China Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Quatar are some of the airlines that have placed orders for A380. Mr Akoum said so far there was no African airline which had ordered the A380. "We manufacture 13 different aircrafts. We started to sell the aircrafts to Africa in the '70s. We hope to find African airlines who will order the A380," he added.
Three weeks ago airbus informed its A380 customers of a further delay in the delivery schedule of the aircraft. According to the company's revised plan, the first A380 will be delivered in October 2007.
Girma Wake said the A380 was too big for Ethiopia's needs." .At the moment we don't dream to acquire this giant aircraft. But we are grateful to Airbus for picking up Addis for the first test flights in Africa," he added. Airbus will reportedly pay substantial fees to the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise and Ethiopian for the airport facilities and other services they rendered during the test flight. The A380 yesterday, left for the United Arab Emirates. Airbus has so far conducted test flights for the A380 in the UAE, Columbia and Canada. It will also have similar tests in China, South Africa, Egypt, Australia, and India.
Airbus is a European consortium owned by the governments of France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The company was established 30 years ago and is headquartered in Toulouse.
Source: The Reporter
By Kaleyesus Bekele (The Reporter)
Ethiopian Airlines, on Thursday, announced it planned to purchase five new aircrafts.
In a joint press conference organized by Airbus and Ethiopian at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Girma Wake, Ethiopian CEO, said that Ethiopian needed to buy five jetliners. Girma told journalists that the Airline had invited Boeing and Airbus to present proposals. Ethiopian has been considering buying the Airbus A350 and Boeing B787-9 (dreamliner) aircrafts. "We are holding talks with the manufacturers. But we have not yet decided on which aircraft to aquire," Girma said.
In 2004 Ethiopian evaluated the A 350 and B787 dreamliner aircrafts and opted to buy the latter. In January 2005, Ethiopian placed orders for ten B787 aircraft with a total value of 1.2 billion dollars. Delivery for these aircraft will begin in 2008. "We opted to buy the B787 because it was more convenient to bring the aircraft into our system. This does not mean that A350 is a bad aircraft," Girma told journalists. "There is a neck to neck competition between the two aircraft manufacturers," he added.
As part of its fleet modernization program, Ethiopian has acquired eleven B767 and B737 aircrafts in the past three years. However, the growing number of passengers has prompted the airline to buy additional aircraft. Recently, it leased an A330-200 from a company called Societede Transport Aerien Regional. According to Girma, the comparison was made based on the price of the aircraft, its performance and the investment that was required to introduce the aircraft into Ethiopian's system.
The Airbus A380, the ever largest passenger aircraft, this week, conducted high altitude test flights in Addis Ababa. The new aircraft, equipped with four engines manufactured by Alliance Engine, and weighing about 560 tons, landed in Addis Ababa last Monday. It flew seven hours directly from Toulouse, France to Addis Ababa.
The A380 crew, which comprises of test pilots, flight engineers and other experts from the European Aviation Safety Agency, conducted several test flights in Addis Ababa in the past four days.
Captain Etienne Tarnowski, head of the crew, said that the particular A380 he commanded was the fifth prototype aircraft. He added that the performance of the aircraft was tested under extreme conditions. "Addis Ababa was selected for the test flight for its high altitude [7,500 feet above sea level] and for its airport facility."
Alemayehu Tekle, general manager of the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise, said that the new runway and taxiway at the airport demonstrated it was of a high standard by accommodating the A380 aircraft. President Girma Woldegiorgis, Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Junedin Saddo, Minister of Transport and Communication and the ambassadors of Germany, UK, France and Spain and other officials visited the prototype aircraft.
The A380 is a 555-seater aircraft and double decker which consumes three litters of fuel per 100 kms per seat. The number of seats could be increased up to 800 by changing the configuration. The price of the aircraft is 300 million dollars. Airbus spent 10.7 billion dollars on the A380 aircraft development program. So far five A380 prototype aircraft have been manufactured. Four of them are equipped with Rolls-Roce engines.
Mr Hadi Akoum, vice president of customer relations for Africa, said that the A380 has attracted about 200 orders from 16 airlines. Air France, Lufthansa, Singapore, China Southern, China Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Quatar are some of the airlines that have placed orders for A380. Mr Akoum said so far there was no African airline which had ordered the A380. "We manufacture 13 different aircrafts. We started to sell the aircrafts to Africa in the '70s. We hope to find African airlines who will order the A380," he added.
Three weeks ago airbus informed its A380 customers of a further delay in the delivery schedule of the aircraft. According to the company's revised plan, the first A380 will be delivered in October 2007.
Girma Wake said the A380 was too big for Ethiopia's needs." .At the moment we don't dream to acquire this giant aircraft. But we are grateful to Airbus for picking up Addis for the first test flights in Africa," he added. Airbus will reportedly pay substantial fees to the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise and Ethiopian for the airport facilities and other services they rendered during the test flight. The A380 yesterday, left for the United Arab Emirates. Airbus has so far conducted test flights for the A380 in the UAE, Columbia and Canada. It will also have similar tests in China, South Africa, Egypt, Australia, and India.
Airbus is a European consortium owned by the governments of France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The company was established 30 years ago and is headquartered in Toulouse.
Source: The Reporter
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