The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has recently granted Ethiopian Airlines permission to operate 24 chartered flights during Valentine’s Day adding to the airlines’ already vast network of collaboration. Last week, Ethiopian Airlines also finalized an interline agreement with CemAir.
The agreement with the KCAA allows Ethiopian to make ad-hoc flights from Nairobi to Europe and Asia without having to return to its home base, Addis Ababa. This change is expected to make Ethiopian more than 5 million USD in profits.
Some within the air travel industry, however, have come out in opposition of the agreement and claim that it gives Ethiopian an unfair, unilateral advantage. One anonymous entity said that the agreement would stifle local airlines that are looking to cash in on the high demand for flowers in Europe during Valentine’s season.
Kenyan Airways has refrained from opposing the agreement but has stated that it will work closely with the Ministry of Transport to address any potential unfair practices that agreements with foreign companies may cause.
The CemAir agreement, on the other hand, will allow travelers to access more destinations without having to purchase multiple tickets on the travel networks that the two air carriers share.
Business Daily Africa, New Business Ethiopia