Ethiopian Airlines marked its official entry into Bangladesh on Sunday with the arrival of its inaugural flight on the Addis Ababa-Dhaka-Addis Ababa route.

This milestone was celebrated at HazratShahjalal International Airport (HSIA) as Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner, flight ET 678, touched down at 8:45 am, receiving a ceremonial water cannon salute.

The return flight departed HSIA for Addis Ababa at 9:45 am initiating regular services between the two capitals.

Operating five flights weekly, Ethiopian Airlines offers Bangladeshi travelers seamless access to Africa and beyond, including over 140 destinations across Europe, North America, and other continents, said a press release.

The new service will see morning departures from Dhaka on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, along with evening departures on Mondays and Fridays.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman, Air Vice Marshal MdMonjurKabir Bhuiyan, welcomed the Ethiopian Airlines delegation, led by Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority Director General GetachewMengistieAlemayehu, comprised with Ethiopia Airline Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Lemma Yadecha, at the HSIA.

CAAB’s Member (Operations & Planning) Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan, HSIA’s Executive Director, Group Captain Muhammed Kamrul Islam and Managing Director of Rhythm Group, Ethiopian Airlines’ General Sales Agent in Bangladesh Shohag Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

With a fleet of 147 aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s largest airline by passenger volume, destinations, fleet size, and revenue, and it ranks as the fourth-largest globally in terms of countries served.

Already an established player in South Asia, with routes to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Karachi, the addition of Dhaka is a strategic advancement in the airline’s broader Asian expansion.