Airbus Forecasts Sixfold Growth in Ethiopia’s Air Passenger Traffic, Citing Ethiopian Airlines’ Expanding Reach

Addis Ababa, October 19, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s air passenger traffic is projected to grow more than sixfold over the next two decades, with Ethiopian Airlines well positioned to capitalize on rising demand and strengthen Addis Ababa’s role as a major African aviation hub, according to Airbus.

Antonio Da Costa, Airbus Vice President for Market Analysis and Forecast, said Ethiopia has strong growth potential, driven by Ethiopian Airlines’ expanding network, rising passenger demand and planned aviation infrastructure.

“We see a very good and strong potential of growth in Ethiopia with over six times more passengers coming over the next 20 years,” he said.

Da Costa expressed pride in Airbus’s longstanding partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, noting that the carrier became the first African operator of the Airbus A350 in 2016 and has operated the aircraft for nearly a decade.

While Ethiopia’s air passenger traffic is forecast to increase more than sixfold, Airbus projects that overall air traffic across Africa will triple over the same period.

The planned airport in Bishoftu is expected to further strengthen Ethiopia’s position in the continental aviation sector. Designed to accommodate up to 110 million passengers annually when fully operational, the facility is expected to become Ethiopian Airlines’ principal operating base and a major gateway for international travel.

“We expect that Addis Ababa and with the new airport to become more and more a central hub for the traffic in Africa,” Da Costa said, pointing to projected growth in trans-African traffic over the next 20 years.

He said Airbus was ready to support Ethiopian Airlines’ expansion with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft as the carrier continues to grow its fleet and international network.

“As we want to continue to grow with new aircraft, better aircraft, we’re always open to hear from Ethiopian Airlines what their needs are,” Da Costa said.

Connecting passengers account for nearly two-thirds of Ethiopian Airlines’ traffic, underscoring Addis Ababa’s role as a transfer point linking African destinations with Europe, Asia, the Americas and other international markets.

Da Costa said Airbus offers aircraft such as the A350 that can connect Addis Ababa with destinations around the world, as reported by local news agency ENA.

The projected growth in passenger traffic, combined with Ethiopian Airlines’ expanding network and the planned Bishoftu airport, could further consolidate Ethiopia’s position as a major aviation gateway linking Africa with the rest of the world.