Ethiopian Airlines Begins Manila Operations

The Philippines finally has a direct flight to Africa.  After months of preparation, Ethiopian Airlines began its flights to Manila on July 9.  

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767-300ER
Image by Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia

Flight ET628 arrived in Manila at around 7.19 pm to a traditional water cannon salute.  It docked at Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Terminal 1.

The carrier's Chief Executive Tewolde Gebre Mariam flew on the maiden Manila flight along with hundreds of other Filipino passengers.  He indicated that the Philippines is an important destination for the carrier as the country is a source of investments for the African continent.  Likewise, Tourism Secretary Bengzon also expressed confidence that the new flight provides more opportunities for tourists to come to the country.

The flight that takes passengers to Addis Ababa, ET629, departed shortly after midnight, several hours after its scheduled departure time of 10.00 pm.  

Flight ET628 is currently scheduled to fly three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) from Addis Ababa to Manila.  The flight departs at 12.40 am and arrives in Manila at 7 pm.  The return flight, ET629, arrives back in Addis Ababa at 6.00 am the following day.  A Boeing 767-300 aircraft is used for the flight.  Both legs have a stopover in Bangkok, though Ethiopian Airlines currently does not have rights to sell seats for passengers who wish to travel between Manila and Bangkok only.  The carrier hopes to have daily flights to Manila.    

Ethiopian Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance network.  This means passengers who subscribe to a frequent flyer programme of any Star Alliance member (e.g. Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer, Lufthansa Miles and More) will be able to earn and redeem miles on Ethiopian Airlines flights.  Ethiopian Airlines is currently in talks with Philippine Airlines for the latter to possibly codeshare with the former.

Source: ABS-CBN News, Flightradar24, Star Alliance

63 comments:

  1. Who needs this route??
    Potentially brings diseases to Philippines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. brings in people with no money also

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    2. The Philippines has a lot better economy then these African countries that have visa free entry to the Philippines.

      This is not racist it is reality. This is not about the color of their skin.

      The Philippines does not own these people anything. Keep them away! They come to the Philippines for jobs.

      I once was at immigration and talking to a African who was coming to the Philippines. I asked him why he came to the Philippines. He said it was the only place he could go with getting a visa that had a OK economy that was far away from his county. I am sure he did not tell the immigration officer that! By the way he took Ethiopian airlines to Hong Kong and transfer there to Manila. Now they can take a direct flight! Open the floodgates!!!

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    3. And what about the hundreds of countries that have oppened their doors to our OFW's??? Thank goodness their governments do not have your xenophobic mentality! Welcome to the world of globalization!

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    4. I have met people from the middle east who have the same view/opinion about Filipino workers yet i am sure you would call them out on their racism.

      if the Filipino economy is in better shape, why do hundreds of thousands of Filipinos workers continue to seek work abroad?

      nothing infuriates me more than Filipinos who complain about how they are treated as guest workers /tourists overseas yet spew the same hatred against against their fellow human being

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    5. Filipinos need more substance. It's not about the next fiesta, or the arrival of the next balikbayan box or who has the latest designer handbag. Flips need more critical thinking, national unity, less corruption. And being racist and so delicado whenever a foreigner critizies the Philippines. Then of course there is the "proud to be pinoy" proclomations whenever a Filipino does something good. Why not be like the Koreans who transformed their country into a world class place. We buy their phones and cars now and they were just as poor as the Philippines. Bakit why? Filipinos always liked lighter skinned people. I'm Fil Am and I get infuriated when half the US hates on Obama "because of his politics" but no, it's because he is black. They won't go and say it's because he is black so they hate him for "other reasons." So when you say it's not racist to not welcome black Africans because they are poor, that's your code for being a racist. What would Jesus do? Hah?

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    6. This newly launched flight between Manila and Addis Ababa opens economic opportunities for both countries. It is bound to bring prosperity in so many ways. Any person that is oppose to this, whatever reason they may have, is someone who thinks backward. Stop your stupidity, suck up your insecurity and bitterness towards other races/nationalities. Start thinking forward so we can all prosper.

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  2. Is there any link for this airline for Brazil?

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    1. Yes bruha/bakla!
      Ethiopian Airlines serves Rio de Janiero and Sao Paolo, mega-cities of mega-Brazil!
      You can fly Manila/Addis Ababa/Rio on this popular airline!

      Delete
    2. And you do not need US transit visa (a fate close to impossible to obtain for ordinary Pinoys) because you do not transit in USA if your destination is Brazil or South America! You are flying thru Africa!!!!!!!!!!!
      Now go to Brazil and have fun there!

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    3. The guy or gal means that going to Brazil crossing the Pacific Ocean is a problem for travelers/tourists from third world countries like yours because you need to pass through US of A (and you know what that entails, right?). But if you fly Ethiopian to Brazil via its Indian Ocean and Atlantic routes, you will pass through the big African continent missing Uncle Sam's ire on you! Be aware that going to Brazil takes a lot of moolah and patience because it is very, very far! And economically, Braziil is not like USA, Germany or UK..... not yet!

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  3. I am sorry, but this report is inaccurate. The flights actually started on JULY 9th, not June 9th.

    http://worldairlinenews.com/2015/07/09/ethiopian-today-launches-a-new-route-to-manila/

    ReplyDelete
  4. There are a lot of countries in Africa have visa free entry to the Philippines for their citizens. If you look at these countries the Philippines is one of the few country in the world they have visa free entry. You can find a lot of discussion forums on the Internet from these countries and the talk is about that the Philippines is a place to escape too that has a OK economy and they can go and get jobs there. These countries have awful awful economies. This is NOT what the Philippines needs. The Philippines government should stop these countries from having visa free entry immediately.

    This new Ethiopian Airlines flight is going to open the flood gates for African to move here. This is NOT a good thing.

    We already see a lot of Africans in the Philippines and a lot of them do not know how to act. For example they do not even know how to SMILE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And what about the hundreds of countries that have oppened their doors to our OFW's??? Thank goodness their governments do not have your xenophobic mentality! Welcome to the world of globalization!

      Delete
    2. They do not open their doors. We have to get a VISA. I have no problem with African coming here and getting a VISA. The VISA is to make sure they are qualified. But coming here without needing a VISA is crazy!

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    3. Can refer to your Philippine Immigration Policy (on Google) and check all the countries of the world, including those from the African continent, who are eligible for a free visa? Then ask your Philippine government all your nasty and immature questions!

      Delete
  5. Wtf racism. Then these Filipinos complain when other races call them monkeys, or nothing but maids, drivers, farmers, or laborers. Disgusting. #ProudPinoy I guess

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    Replies
    1. I couldn't agree more

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    2. Proud to be Pinoy. Stop criticizing the Philippines. But we can criticize others. So typical insecure weak minded Pilipino.

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  6. I am extremely ashamed of Filipinos commenting against Africans. I have just been to Africa and I found them to be the loveliest people I met, much better than the xenophobic Filipinos here.

    Besides, I just flew Ethiopian from Johannesburg and Addis Ababa and noticed that a lot of Europeans fly this airline as transit passengers. This gives a lot of opportunities for Philippines to grow its tourism and foreign investment.

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  7. My main issue is our government gives Africans access here without a VISA! No country should let people into their country on a tourist visa if their objective is to stay and try to get a job illegally. Filipinos who do that in other countries should be stopped actually! Our government should make these people who do this come back to the Philippines. Our government knows who these people are and most likely where they are. We should get their family members here to get them to come home. We should want our fellow Filipinos to respect all countries immigration policies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, allowing them to enter our country without visa is made to mainly promote tourism and welcome more economic activities between countries as open as possible. People getting illegal jobs and not following immigration policies has nothing to do with it. It's up to those individuals who does that and for the government to strictly enforce policies.

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  8. What's wrong with Africans coming to the Philippines to find jobs? If it helps them get a better life then why deny them entry to our country? Anybody, regardless of what country they came from are welcome to visit, work or stay in the Philippines as long as they dont harm other people and abide our law.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Three flights are hardly floodgates. Incredible to read these crazy ignorant comments in this blog. People don't seem to realize that airplanes bring investors and tourists. If they can't get here - they won't invest or spend here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Couldn't agree more. Lumalabas ang pagiging utak-ewan ng ibang pinoy dyan. Hahays

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  10. Guess you have not read about what is happening in Europe getting flooded with illegal immigrants. These are the same people who can come to the Philippines without a visa. Look at all the people in this google images search from Ethiopia who can enter the Philippines visa free! https://www.google.com/search?q=ethiopia+slums&biw=1530&bih=814&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Ky-jVfXNKIu3uQSSjZGQBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&dpr=0.9

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ethiopians and many other African nationals are allowed to enter our country and stay here, without visa, for not more than 30 days. If they do so, then what's wrong with that? And if they decide to stay longer and work here then they just have to comply with what's required by the law. If they stay here, registered, well-documented, pay taxes and abide with our law, what harm could that bring to us? Illegal immigrants are called such because they migrate to another country without complying with immigration rules. But as long as these Africans come here and follow all existing laws in our country, then they are all welcome. The issue should not be them entering the Philippines, it should rather be how well they can abide with our laws and be responsible visitors or compliant immigrants.

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  11. About the post " Anybody, regardless of what country they came from are welcome to visit, work or stay in the Philippines as long as they dont harm other people and abide our law." Guess you do not care about our fellow countrymen who are unemployed!

    We also do not need any foreigners who come here for sex tourism. The government needs to crack down on this right away! If foreigners come here and engage in sex tourism they need to be bared from coming back. The real tourist do not want to come here because they hear there is a huge amount of sex tourism here. These are tourist who have money and spend. Not these crazy sex tourist!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Foreigners being welcome here in the Philippines is totally different case from allowing sex tourism. Welcoming them doesn't mean allowing them to engage in sex tourism. Sex tourism is illegal in our country. If you haven't notice the previous comment says "as long as they dont harm other people and abide our law". That means if they practice or promote sex tourism or do anything against the law then they are not welcome. So what's your deal?

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    2. Being unemployed has nothing to do with foreigners coming in to our country. In fact, tourism is one good source of employment for many Filipinos. If many others are unemployed then why blame it to the foreigners? What the hell?! How stupid that is!

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    3. Wow you really are a mas gago

      Delete
  12. This thread is about ET maiden flight not comments about social issues. Are we supposed to blog about aviation or sociology/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can be both, specially if you have some socio-morons commenting around.

      Delete
  13. maybe one flight a week is okey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uhm, that's not good for travellers i guess. Why limit the flight frequency when people needs more options. Travel wise, more flight options is always better.

      Delete
  14. For those of you who are concerned about visitors from African countries, be careful in belittling them, particularly the Ethiopians, because foremost of all, your government allows them to arrive without a visa for 30 days. That means they can comply with your government requirement if they have money to spend, air ticket to leave the country, etc. Ethiopia is a fast-developing third world country previously under communist dictatorships and ethnic royal families but is now starting to enjoy capitalism and democratic type of government. Ethiopia has untouched natural resources like gems, diamonds, fossil oil but it is gradually exploring and developing them. It is also surprising to know that it produces coffee ( like Brazil) even though it is located in Sub-Saharan Africa, why? It has numerous rivers that irrigate its arid but fertile plains and, todate, it is constructing the biggest hydroelectric dam in that region. Also Ethiopia exports "live flowers" to the wealthy continents! Yes. Note that its capital is called "Addis Ababa" which means beautiful, abundant flowers. Learn some lessons here! That country is four times as big as your RP country and almost the same population count. Yet, once it has completely developed its myriad natural resources, you will realize your mistakes later, so be very careful! Now, be nice, OK?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly, and belittling other nationalities isn't cool at all.

      Delete
  15. Eksaktamente Juan de la Cruz.... Estos Filipinos mal-educados y malvados no tienen poco de verguenza! Sin verguenza! "Kapalmuks"en sus idioma!!!!!
    (Soy una FilAm viviendo en Barcelona!)......

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ethiopian Airlines, welcome to the Philippines!

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  17. some of the comments here are an absolute disgrace. shame on you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. My my you Filipino punks are racist to Africans. Here i thought you badmouth me because i am from Hong Kong and the fact that i trash talk about your favorite airline, Cebu Pathetic Airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can criticize any airline as much as you want for the rest of your life. You have all your right to do so specially if you experienced their bad service first hand. But as for the stupid, prejudice and racist commenters above, shame on them!

      Delete
    2. Flew with Cebu Pathetic twice and never again i will fly with them. I had a few punks here being racist to me by saying us Chinese people have small dicks. Now, i come here and read these comments and i see these Filipino punks acting so racist against Africans. Shame on them indeed.

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    3. You can have all the Africans in Hong Kong and support them and all their medical conditions

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    4. I would be glad to serve them unlike you racist Filipinos who are against the idea of Ethiopian Airlines of expanding to Manila.

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    5. Ok great you can sponsor them personally bobo

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  19. New trend please. This trend is 10 days old.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would like to see an article where Cebu Pacific goes out of business. Pathetic airline will always be pathetic. That would be a trend on this site yes?

      Delete
  20. Be in mind that also many european people would use Ethiopian Airlines to fly from Europe to the Philippines! Because actually only 3 airlines are flying directly from Europe to Manila. And those 3 airlines from 1 city each only = 3 cities within Europe. So all other people have to change anyway. And direct flights are much more expensive than a 2 leg flight!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Racist is everywhere !! Filipinos are being called "monkeys" in other countries esp in Europe. Payback time!! If you are in ME, you kabayans are called "workers". Dont shop alone in Carrefour ME without a basket or trolley, locals will surely ask you for other color or other sizes of the items in their hands.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Mr Hong Kong, you may not be racist but you sure carry a grudge. Ok, so you had a couple of bad experiences on Cebu Pacific. GET OVER IT. I've had bad experiences on many airlines, some far worth than anything I've experienced on Cebu Pacific but I always see them as a "one off" and not indicative of the airline's overall performance.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Not indicative of the airline's overall performance? Explain why their customer service is bad?

    Convince me to fly with them the 3rd time.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Mr Hong Kong, I travel on CEB almost weekly and while I have encountered a few problems they have always been resolved with professionalism and courtesy.It is sometimes the way in which a person presents a problem which determines the outcome.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just let Mr Hong Kong die with his grudge with 5J as clearly he's dwelling with his unfortunate experience with the airline. Let him be, it's his trouble anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Problem is he won't stop ramming it down peoples throats. Its as if CEB is the only airline that has upset passengers. Others move on with their lives but not Mr Hong Kong, all he wants to do is slag the airline and its employees.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, people like him wont stop to the point that they become nothing but obnoxious puppet of their past. So give him what he want -let him rot with his grudge.

      Meanwhile, let's all move forward and give any airline a chance to serve us better. All passenger should know that in any case we might be mishandled by a carrier, the best way to get through them is to present our complaints in a decent way where we are also giving them chances to correct their mistake and make things favorable to us. Its not about ranting out our grievances towards the airline, its about getting the best things out of an unfortunate experience. Use it to your advantage -its the smartest way. Mr Hong Kong should have known better.

      Delete
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