Is Ethiopian Airlines Safe?
Founded on 21st December, 1945, Ethiopian Airlines is the flag carrier of Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airlines is generally considered one of the safest airlines in Africa. The airline is also globally appreciated for its safety. This is because it is dedicated to following international safety standards, provides intensive pilot training, and has a collection of cutting-edge fleets.
Ethiopian Airlines is recognised as one of the safest airlines globally. It has a commendable safety rating of 6 out of 7 on AirlineRatings. The airline is also recognised as a 4-Star airline by SkyTrax.
Ethiopian Airlines has also exhibited conformity with international safety protocols by passing the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, which reflects the company’s commitment to customer safety and well-being.
Is It Safe to Fly With Ethiopian Airlines?
Ethiopian Airlines is one of the safest airlines in Africa and is globally recognized for its stringent safety protocols. This can be critically analyzed by examining the airline’s history of safety records, fleet modernization, certifications, pilot training, and passenger reviews. Read this blog to unravel the incidents and factual data that reflect Ethiopian Airlines as the safest airline.
Safety Record and Incident History
Ethiopian Airlines has a notable history of safety records. However, amidst this extensive past of operating safe flights, the airline has unfortunately faced four prominent tragic incidents. The airline was also hijacked previously. The most catastrophic incidents encountered by the airline were:
- September 1988, Crash: The Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604, a Boeing 737-200, faced a serious engine failure because of ingesting a flock of pigeons just when it took off from Bahir Dar Airport in Ethiopia. This led to the death of 35 passengers.
- 2010 Beirut Crash: Another disastrous flight crash of Ethiopian Airlines happened on 25th January, 2010. The flight crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 90 people on board. The Lebanese investigation stated that the crash was a pilot error, but Ethiopian Airlines strongly disputed the allegation.
- 1996 Hijacking and Crash: It is regarded as the worst hijacking in history. The Boeing 767 ran out of fuel when hijacked by three intoxicated Ethiopians who were reluctant to redirect the plane to Australia. This flight crashed into the Indian Ocean, resulting in 125 fatalities.
- 2019 Boeing 737 MAX 8 Crash: This was the last fatal incident encountered by Ethiopian Airlines as of now. The Flight ET302 of Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa due to a fault in the aircraft’s MCAS system. The incident lamentably resulted in the demise of all 157 people on board.
Despite facing such dreadful incidents previously, the company has made tremendous efforts in enhancing the safety of its aircraft and overseeing the pilot training regularly. Ethiopian Airlines has also grounded its Boeing 737 Max 8 after the 2019 crash. These steps implemented by Ethiopian Airlines reflect its commitment to safety.
Ethiopian Airlines also ranks higher than other competitive African airlines such as Kenya Airways and Air Mauritius.
Fleet Modernisation and Maintenance
Ethiopian Airlines has been accelerating its fleet collection. The company is actively looking for high-tech and fuel-efficient, next-generation aircraft. The airline has recently unlocked another milestone as it has received its 100th aircraft, Boeing 787-9, becoming the first African airline to do so. Several aircraft have been ordered by the airline. This modern aircraft includes:
- Airbus A350-1000
- Boeing 737 MAX
- Boeing 777-8F freighters
- Boeing 787 Dreamliners
- Airbus A350-900s
- Airbus A350-900s
- Boeing 777s
Ethiopian Airlines is not only working actively in enhancing its fleet collection, but also chose the GEnx Engine to power 11 new Boeing 787s by collaborating with GE Aerospace. This fuel offers 15% better fuel consumption and emits less CO2, which makes it an eco-friendly and efficient fuel.
The fleet maintenance of Ethiopian Airlines is handled primarily by Ethiopian MRO, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) arm of Ethiopian Airlines Group. It is the leading provider of MRO in Africa and the Middle East. The airlines also have a partnership with ATS Technic for providing the line maintenance services at the airports of Jordon and the U.A.E.
Regulatory Oversight and Certifications
The operations of Ethiopian Airlines are overseen by national and international authorities. The airline is audited several times, where its compliance with safety standards is also scrutinised. The authorities responsible for keeping a check on the airline are as follows:
- Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA)
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Ethiopian Airlines has also successfully cleared the USOAP Audit, regulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The airlines also adhere to the guidelines of the national transportation authorities of the respective countries where they fly.
However, in the year 2024, Ethiopian Airlines was charged with a fine of $400,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for operating flights from prohibited areas.
Pilot Training and Crew Standards
Ethiopian Airlines pays a great deal of attention to recruiting skilled pilots who have been trained by reputable aviation academies. The airlines also have their own aviation academy and pilot training schools, which excel in providing competency-based training to aspiring pilots. The names of their associations are as follows:
- Ethiopian Aviation University
- Pilot Training School
These academies are run by faculty members who have years of experience. These academies have trained pilots from over 52 countries, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. They emphasize providing practical, rigorous, problem-focused, and comprehensive training to the pilots. They equip the young pilots with both technical skills and non-technical skills. Some of the expertise present in their pilots is as follows:-
- Aircraft System Proficiency (Manual and Automated)
- Flight Planning and Monitoring
- Standard Aviation English Communication Skills
- Simulator Training
- Navigation and Meteorology
The pilots of Ethiopian Airlines must meet the requirements of the Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), along with a Class 1 medical certificate. The pilots should have a valid Commercial Pilot License with Instrument and Multi-engine Rating (CPL/IR/ME) and Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL).
Ethiopian Airlines also has quite specific training procedures for its flight attendants. The flight attendants of Ethiopian Airlines are trained intensively in the following skills:
- Passenger Assistance
- Efficient Communication Skills
- Emergency procedures that need to be followed during medical situations, technical faults, or the climate crisis
- Expertise in First Aid
- Aircraft Safety System Training
- Amenities Assistance
Ethiopian Airlines’ extensive efforts in crew training highlight its dedication to customer safety and satisfaction.
Health Safety Measures
Ethiopian Airlines is widely renowned for focusing predominantly on the health and safety of its passengers. The airline has also collaborated with a large number of hospitals to offer medical travel packages and flies frequently to popular medical destinations. It was even awarded for the relentless efforts taken by them during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Ethiopian Airlines abided by the World Health Organisation’s guidelines during the pandemic.
The steps taken by Ethiopian Airlines in the healthcare field include:
- Medical Travel Packages
- Setting up its own COVID-19 testing and isolation centre for staff’s wellbeing
- Fitted HEPA air filters in all the aircraft
- Comprehensive cleaning and disinfectants
- Equipped all the aircraft with Bio-Hazard Kits
- Employing the Hygiene Expert Cabin Crew
- Distribution of Hygiene Kits and Antiseptic Tissues
- Contactless Check-in and Boarding
- Mandatory Face Masks
The Airline was also awarded by Airbus for its Unique Agility and Resilience During the COVID–19 Global Pandemic Crisis.
Passenger Reviews and Global Rankings
Ethiopian Airlines has been receiving a blend of both positive and negative reviews from its passengers. The positive reviews include decent safety measures, excellence in health safety measures, especially during the time of the pandemic, the pleasant and compassionate behaviour of the crew members, and a huge array of amenities are some of the optimistic feedback given by the majority of passengers flying from Ethiopian Airlines.
On the other hand, the negative reviews of the passengers were regarding poor customer service, unresponsive behaviour of the Lost and Found Department, and the frequent delays encountered by the travellers are some of the most commonly found in the review section of Ethiopian Airlines.
Despite some negative comments, Ethiopian Airlines has consistently won the hearts of the passengers. It has also received a huge amount of accolades, which showcase its achievements. The list of awards and global rankings is given below:
- Recognised as the Four-Star Global Airline at the 2025 APEX Passenger Choice Awards.
- Ethiopian Airlines scores a commendable safety rating of 6 out of 7 on AirlineRatings.com.
- Ethiopian Airlines won the “Best Airline in Africa” award for the 8th consecutive year by SkyTrax in 2025.
- Ethiopian Airlines was awarded “Best Business Class in Africa” at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
- Ethiopian Airlines was awarded “Best Economy Class in Africa” by Skytrax in 2025.
- “Best Economy Class Onboard Catering in Africa” award at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
- Ethiopian Airlines won the “Airline of the Year – Global Operations” award at the AFRAA (African Airlines Association) on the 56th Annual General Assembly in Cairo, which was held in November 2024.
The grand list of prestigious awards and the positive customer reviews represent the global success and achievements of Ethiopian Airlines.
Conclusion
After analysing the historical records, audit certifications, health safety measures, along with passenger reviews and global rankings of Ethiopian Airlines. It can be concluded that Ethiopian Airlines is one of the safest airlines in Africa and can be considered a safe airline globally. The attempts made by the authorities in enhancing the safety protocols after the 2019 tragic crash have resulted in achieving the Best Airline in Africa award in 2025. To have more clarity, read the whole blog given above.
FAQs
Ethiopian Airlines is one of the safest international airlines. To gain more insights, go through this blog.
The authorities that oversee Ethiopian Airlines are the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Yes, Ethiopian Airlines has its own aviation academy and school called Ethiopian Aviation University and Pilot Training School.
Ethiopian Airlines was upgraded to a 6 out of 7 safety rating for showcasing a strong safety record by AirlinesRatings.com.
Yes, Ethiopian Airlines participates in the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Audit, regulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).