Dubai sees 18 percent rise in overnight visitors to 3.67 million in first two months of 2024.

The latest figures from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) revealed an annual increase of 18 percent in the number of visitors in the first two months of 2024. During January and February, Dubai received 3.67 million visitors, with 1.77 million visitors in January and 1.9 million visitors in February.

Origin of visitors

Western Europe was at the forefront of visitors to Dubai in the two months. Tourists from Western Europe constituted 21 percent of the total number of visitors to Dubai, or about 773,000 tourists. South Asia followed with 604,000 visitors, constituting 17 percent of the total number of tourists. Then came the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with 549,000 visitors, constituting 15 percent of the total.

Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern Europe ranked fourth, with 530,000 visitors, constituting 14 percent of the total number of tourists in Dubai. In fifth place, visitors from the Middle East and North Africa reached 448,000, constituting 12 percent of the total. Meanwhile, visitors from North and Southeast Asia recorded a share of 9 percent or about 340,000 visitors in Dubai.

The number of tourists arriving to Dubai from the Americas reached 240,000, making up 7 percent of the total. Meanwhile, the number of visitors from Africa reached 138,000, or about 4 percent of the total. Moreover, 53,000 visitors from Australia came to Dubai in January and February, making up about 1 percent of the total.

Hospitality sector surges

By the end of February, the number of hotel rooms in Dubai reached 151,269 in 826 establishments, compared to 148,450 rooms in 813 establishments by the end of February 2023. The average hotel occupancy in Dubai reached 87.1 percent, compared to 84.4 percent during the first two months of 2023. Meanwhile, the number of rooms booked exceeded 7.78 million, compared to about 7.28 million rooms during the first two months of 2023. Besides, the average length of stays reached 3.8 hotel nights during January and February 2024.

Notably, the number of 5-star hotel rooms in Dubai reached 52,118 in 161 establishments, accounting for 35 percent of the total number of hotel rooms. Meanwhile, the number of 4-star rooms reached 43,792 in 197 establishments, and the number of one- and three-star hotel rooms reached 29,037 in 275 establishments. The number of luxury hotel apartment rooms reached 13,764, and the number of medium-level hotel apartment rooms reached 12,558.

During the first two months of 2024, the average daily price of a hotel room in Dubai reached AED664, a 9 percent increase compared to AED609 during the corresponding period of 2023. Meanwhile, the average revenue from available rooms reached AED578, a 12 percent increase compared to AED514 in the first two months of 2023.

Source: Economy Middle East.

Exploring Innovations in IATA Payment Solutions for Travel Agents: Insights from the Inaugural Payments Summits.

30th March 2024

By: Bryan Obala

Membership & Communications, KATA

During the inaugural Payments Summits, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) provided a comprehensive overview of innovations in IATA Payment solutions. This presentation, led by IATA’s Country Manager East Africa, Agnes Mucuha, highlighted the organization’s Focus Africa initiative. This initiative is dedicated to maximizing aviation’s contribution to African development by enhancing services for passengers and shippers.

Focus Africa Initiative: The Focus Africa initiative, spearheaded by IATA, is geared towards delivering measurable improvements in six critical areas: safety, infrastructure, connectivity, finance and distribution, sustainability, and skills development. Of particular relevance to the Payments Summit discussion was the focus on finance and distribution, aiming to accelerate the implementation of secure, effective, and cost-efficient financial services, alongside the adoption of modern retailing standards.

IATA EasyPay (IEP): A significant aspect of the presentation centered on IATA EasyPay (IEP), an optional pay-as-you-go solution designed for travel agents. IEP provides a simpler and more secure method for transacting with airlines through the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP). It’s noteworthy that IEP is a closed-loop electronic payment solution, voluntary in nature, and devoid of any charges, offering greater flexibility and choice for Accredited Travel agents to manage their business challenges.

From left: Agnes Mucuha, Country Manager East Africa, International Air Transport Association (IATA); Hamisi Hassan, Vice Chairman, Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA)

Advantages for Participants: IATA outlined the advantages of IATA EasyPay for participating Airlines and IATA Accredited Agents:

  • Voluntary: IEP is available to all IATA accredited agents, with the decision to use it resting with each agent. It does not intend to replace existing payment methods in the BSP.
  • Secure: IEP ensures security by requiring agents to fund their IATA EasyPay account. The system verifies fund availability at the time of ticket issuance, mitigating the risk of chargebacks for airlines.
  • Fast: IATA settles IEP amounts to airlines on a daily basis through existing BSP processes, ensuring prompt transfer of funds within 48 to 96 hours following ticket issuance.
  • Economical: With low transaction costs, IEP proves to be more cost-effective for airlines compared to credit card transactions.
  • Flexible: IEP transactions are secure, allowing agents to lower their financial security amounts with IATA and issue transactions outside their cash issuance capacity.

Expansion in Africa: An exciting revelation from the presentation was that the IATA EasyPay service is now available in 27 countries across Africa. Moreover, IATA is actively collaborating with authorities to expand into additional markets, demonstrating a commitment to support Africa’s aviation industry and modernize financial services and solutions across the continent.

In summary, IATA’s presentation at the Payments Summits provided valuable insights into the innovative strides being made in IATA Payment solutions, particularly through the introduction of IATA EasyPay. As the initiative gains momentum and expands its footprint across Africa, it promises to revolutionize financial transactions within the aviation sector, benefitting both airlines and travel agents alike.

Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) Partners with Absa Bank Kenya and Visa to Introduce Enhanced Corporate Card Solutions.

28th March 2024

By: Bryan Obala

Membership & Communications, KATA

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Absa Bank Kenya, in conjunction with Visa, has unveiled the Visa Commercial Choice Programme, a pioneering Corporate Card solution aimed at members affiliated with the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA). This innovative initiative promises a myriad of benefits including enhanced automation, flexibility, and improved cash flow management for travel agents across the country.

From left: Dr. Joseph Kithitu, KATA Chairman; Moses Muthui, Consumer Banking Director, Absa Bank; James Kabuthi, Head of Products and Solutions, East Africa, Visa

Under this strategic partnership, travel agents under KATA, representing a formidable network of over 300 travel agencies, stand to gain from streamlined payment solutions tailored specifically for business to business (B2B) transactions. These solutions are geared towards fostering efficient working capital management, operational effectiveness, and improved supplier relationships.

The Visa Commercial Choice Travel Programme, freshly introduced by Absa Bank, offers a plethora of advantages for travel agents within KATA. Notably, agents now have the option to conduct transactions in Kenyan Shillings or US Dollars, empowering them to effectively manage cash flows and optimize working capital. Furthermore, members can leverage the Visa Commercial Pay Virtual Card Platform to automate booking processes and access cutting-edge tools for data management and reconciliation, complete with an intuitive reporting feature for seamless monitoring.

In addition to the tailored Corporate Card solution, Absa Bank is also rolling out a revamped Absa Corporate Visa Card, equipped with enhanced features and flexibility to address the diverse needs of businesses. Through this card and the innovative Visa Commercial Pay Virtual Card Platform, businesses can exercise greater control over employee-initiated expenses and payments, thereby enhancing visibility and operational efficiency.

Commenting on the collaboration, Moses Muthui, Consumer Banking Director at Absa Bank, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “The collaboration between Absa Bank Kenya, Visa, and the Kenya Association of Travel Agents marks a significant milestone in our efforts to empower businesses and accelerate digital inclusion in this space with smarter and integrated payment solutions.”

Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Visa Kenya Country Manager, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the partnership’s commitment to innovation and service excellence. She emphasized, “By combining Visa’s global reach and advanced technology with Absa’s deep local market expertise, we are confident that this new payment solution will significantly enhance the way travel agents manage their transactions, providing them with a seamless, efficient and secure experience.”

Nicanor Sabula, CEO of KATA, lauded the collaboration, affirming its importance in catering to the specific needs of members and underscoring the commitment to industry-focused financial solutions.

From left: Dr. Joseph Kithitu, KATA Chairman; Moses Muthui, Consumer Banking Director, Absa Bank; James Kabuthi, Head of Products and Solutions, East Africa, Visa at the Launch of the Corporate Cards for Travel Agents

The Absa Corporate Visa Card offers a range of features including virtual and physical card options, granting customers the flexibility to adapt to various payment scenarios. Furthermore, it integrates seamlessly with Visa Commercial Pay, facilitating hassle-free payments to travel suppliers such as airlines and hotels while streamlining reconciliation processes.

With the launch of the Absa Corporate Visa Card, Absa Bank Kenya reiterates its dedication to innovation and excellence in client service. Leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, the bank continues to deliver solutions that resonate with the evolving needs of businesses in Kenya and beyond.

Sabre 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report.

The travel business today is facing an increased risk to their online security with a rise in cybercrime and phishing attacks. In addition, MFA is required for PCI DSS 4.0 and ISO 27001, SOC2 compliance. With the growing number of Industry standards that are required to mitigate risk, a robust approach to system security is critical.

How will Sabre Identify help you?

With an easy use of MobilePASS+ app you will be able to apply a one-time-passcode (OTP) to add an additional level of security to your Sabre access. This means that besides the usual Sabre credentials (EPR-PCC-Passcode) you will be prompted to input an OTP at sign-in to SRW360 or any Sabre secure sites (i.e.: Sabre Central).

This additional security will protect you from bad actor activities, preventing anyone that is able to gather your Sabre credentials to access the system without your authorization.

Product features

Sabre Identify works in conjunctions with MobilePASS+ applications, which may be downloaded in your device of choice. Once you request using Sabre Identify, you will receive instructions for easy download and enrollment for your user. Sabre Identify will mitigate unauthorized access, as even if someone is able to gather your credentials, accessing Sabre or Sabre secure sites will be limited to the access to your unique One-Time-Password.

To learn about Sabre Identify visit : Sabre or  contact marketing@sabron.com

Dubai Tourism CEO on the Power of Bollywood, Indian Visas and Cricket.

Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim joked that Dubai is an Indian city.

Speaking at Skift India Summit 2024 on Wednesday in Gurugram, India, Kazim had a point. Dubai and India are closely linked when it comes to Indians living in Dubai, as well as cultural and travel ties. Much of Dubai’s modern success as a tourism hub grows out the many Indians choosing to stay there.

Since 2015, India has reigned as Dubai’s largest inbound travel market, with around 2.5 million Indians coming into Dubai in 2023. The emirate runs 75 flights a day to and from India, though, according to Kazim, that’s still not enough.

“There is a surge in demand for Dubai from India,” he said. “The culture between India and the UAE is so strong. The historical relationship is so strong. It’s natural for a lot of Emiratis to speak Hindi fluently.”

In February, Dubai introduced a five-year multiple-entry visa for inbound Indian travelers, with visas being one of the best ways Dubai can demonstrate its intent to push travel.

Kazim explained: “We’ve rolled out many visas. We want people here for weekend getaways, sports, tourism. We want people here. We have a lot of visiting friends and relatives travel as well.”

He cited visas as an example of governmental-private sector collaboration.

“The government leads the way and the private sector follows. We have a constant dialogue with the private sector on how we can make their lives smoother,” he said “Visa policies are an example of that.”

Big on Bollywood

In 2022, Dubai Tourism launched a global campaign with Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan to promote the emirate and its travel spots. The video has attracted 10 million views.

According to Kazim, Bollywood stands as a huge travel generator for Dubai, serving as an “organic” way to drive interest.

“Bollywood has done a lot for Dubai,” Kazim said. “It’s more than just SRK (Shah Rukh Khan, India’s biggest movie star) as well. Dubai was always mentioned positively by India, there’s a positive synergy. SRK has that organic energy. There’s no act that he likes Dubai — he genuinely does.”

“Bollywood goes well beyond the boundaries of India,” he said. “Same in Middle East, same in Europe, same in U.S.”

India Premier League

Rumors cropped up earlier this month that the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) could be moved to Dubai in April and May.

IPL was held in the UAE in 2020 across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as India was badly hit by the pandemic at that time.

Kazim did not confirm the claim, but said: “Dubai has always hosted IPL games, we know the importance of it for the India communities.”

Source: skift.  

Travelport Delivers NDC Content and Servicing for Qatar Airways on Travelport+

LANGLEY UK, Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and Qatar Airways, one of the world’s leading global airlines, announced today that Qatar’s NDC content and enhanced servicing capabilities are now available in the Travelport+ platform.

Travelport customers can easily search and compare NDC offers from Qatar Airways, as well as service NDC bookings, which includes modifications and cancellations. Travelport+ enables agency customers to access a wide range of rich content, fares, and unique offerings from Qatar Airways all in one place, enhanced by the Content Curation Layer (CCL).

This Travelport+ feature minimizes manual tasks using powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) capabilities to provide agents and travelers a more modern retailing experience with faster search response times, highly relevant results, and greater accuracy.

“Our NDC collaboration with Travelport ensures that travel agents around the globe can effortlessly shop and book our growing repertoire of NDC offers and provide exceptional service to our customers, including post-ticketing. Qatar Airways has long been committed to bringing our agency partners along on the NDC journey, so we’re pleased to extend our NDC offers to Travelport subscribers,” said Matt Raos, Senior Vice President Global Sales at Qatar Airways.

“Now that Qatar’s NDC content is available on Travelport+, our agency customers will have the ability to view and compare more dynamic offers and ancillaries from Qatar Airways so they can create a more streamlined, personalized experience for travelers,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport. “We’ve built our NDC solution to empower travel agents to operate as modern retailers and provide the level of service that travelers need beyond the point of booking, so that our partners benefit from more upsells and greater loyalty from their customers.”

###

About Travelport

Travelport is a global technology company that powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide. Buyers and sellers of travel are connected by the company’s next generation marketplace, Travelport+, which simplifies how brands connect, upgrades how travel is sold, and enables modern digital retailing. Headquartered in the United Kingdom and operating in more than 165 countries around the world, Travelport is focused on driving innovation that simplifies the complex travel ecosystem.

Media Contacts:

Katie Cline

Senior Director, Global Head of External Communications

katie.cline@travelport.com

Jennifer Blackburn

Senior External Communications Manager

jennifer.blackburn@travelport.com

Beau Avis

External Communications Coordinator

beau.avis@travelport.com

Source: Travelport.

The Different Ways to Earn Kenya Airways Asante Rewards Points

In June 2023, over 46 years since its formation, Kenya Airways rolled out Asante Rewards, its much-anticipated loyalty program. Prior to that, Kenya Airways customers were invited to join Air-France-KLM’s Flying Blue frequent flyer program as part of their long-standing partnership.

Asante Rewards was designed with the African market and dynamics in mind. It was created after several years of research and customer feedback to offer loyal passengers more rewards and exclusive benefits. While Asante is not as extensive as programs from other legacy carriers, there are several ways to earn reward points, including flying and non-flying activities. So, let us explore how the loyalty program works.

Earning Asante Reward points

Customers have a chance to earn both reward and tier points. As a SkyTeam member, Kenya Airways allows members to earn points on its own flights or when traveling with some of its alliance partners. Reward points are redeemable for flights and added benefits, while tier points help with progression from one tier to another.

Asante Rewards members can earn points each time they travel on Kenya Airways-operated flights. The carrier breaks it down into three simple steps – fly, earn, and redeem. The more you fly, the faster you move between tiers and unlock additional benefits. Asante members can receive points on all qualifying Kenya Airways fares and products. However, the number of points earned depends on the passenger’s destination, fare type, and travel class.

 The Nairobi-based carrier offers two classes of travel – economy and business, with four booking classes in economy and three in business. Each booking class offers a different percentage of earnings, with Economy Best Buy as the lowest and Business Super Flex as the highest. The highest amount to be earned on domestic flights is 1,000 points at a rate of 200%.

For travel between Kenya and other African countries, passengers can earn up to 8,000 points depending on travel class and the destination. For example, Economy Standard passengers flying to South Africa can earn up to 1,500 points, while Business Super Flex customers flying to Senegal, Liberia, or Sierra Leone can earn as much as 8,000 points.

 Kenya Airways’ intercontinental routes have the highest earnings potential. A passenger flying to or from the US can earn 16,000 Asante Rewards Points when traveling in the most elite class. However, the Kenyan carrier only flies to New York (JFK) in the US.

According to KQ, points will be reflected in a member’s account within 24 hours after a flight. Members are also allowed family pooling to accrue points faster, with each household account taking up to eight members. While children under 18 cannot hold individual accounts, anyone between 2 and 18 years can be enrolled in the household account.

Earning points with partners

Asante Rewards customers have an opportunity to earn through Kenya Airways’ airline and non-airline partners. Just like other loyalty programs, points can also be earned without flying. The carrier has two hotel partners: Pride Inn and Serena Hotels. Both hotels offer a chance to earn points as well as discounts on food, beverages, and accommodation.

Depending on the booking class, members can earn tier points and qualifying flights when traveling with Air France. This includes flights with the AF code operated by Air France, Kenya Airways or SkyTeam carriers (except KLM), and Air France Hop. It also includes Hop flights with airline numbers in the SkyTeam alliance. Frequent flyers can earn a minimum of 500 points for every sector flown.

Similarly, members can earn tier points and qualifying flights on KLM services to and from various destinations. This includes flights with the KL code, operated by KLM, Kenya Airways or other SkyTeam airlines (excluding Air France), and KLM Cityhopper. You can also earn points when traveling on KLM City Hopper flights with flight numbers from other SkyTeam members. Each sector offers at least 500 points.

With the ongoing partnership between the three carriers, customers who were part of other frequent flyer programs were welcomed to enroll in Asante Rewards. Kenya Airways provides status match, allowing Flying Blue members to retain their tier levels.

The various tiers and benefits

The amount of points to be earned also depends on the membership tier. Asante Rewards comprises four tiers: Ruby, Silver, Gold Elite Plus, and Platinum Elite Plus, with Ruby being the lowest. The bonus points have the following percentages:

Ruby: None

Silver Elite: 50%

Gold Elite Plus: 75%

Platinum Elite Plus: 100%

Kenya Airways grants 1,000 enrolment points in the Ruby tier after your first flight. Following that, 20,000 tier points or 15 sectors will be required to qualify for the Silver Tier, 40,000 points or 30 sectors for Gold, and 65,000 points or 60 sectors for Platinum. All sectors are for flights operated by KQ or its SkyTeam partners.

Each tier also provides different benefits, like preferred seating, extra baggage allowance, Sky Priority, elite Plus recognition, priority check-in, priority boarding, and lounge access. However, all members get dedicated phone line service and promotional airline discounts. Furthermore, points in all tiers expire after 24 months of inactivity.

From March 2024, Asante members with at least 7,000 points can redeem them for an award ticket to any domestic destination, while those with at least 9,000 points can acquire a ticket to any international destination. It is important to note that applicable charges, surcharges, and government charges still apply to Kenya Airways award tickets. Additionally, you cannot earn points when traveling with an award ticket.

Source: Simple Flying

Emirates and AIDA Cruises Extend Partnership, Elevating Dubai’s Maritime Tourism Status.

Solidifying Dubai’s place as a major maritime tourism hub, Emirates and AIDA Cruises have renewed their partnership for a further two seasons.

The renewed partnership was signed on the sidelines of the first day of ITB Berlin and is in line with Dubai’s efforts to significant grow its cruise capacity. Dubai continues to attract the biggest players in the industry through offering a seamlessly integrated maritime hub, with state-of-the-art handling facilities supported with unrivalled air connectivity.

Emirates will explore a number of opportunities with AIDA Cruises for joint marketing, operational alignment and strategic planning around flight schedules from across its network, in addition to enhanced transportation solutions between Dubai International Airport and Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal.

The partnership will continue to focus on sharing relevant data and insights to improve service delivery, providing dedicated support teams for cruise passengers, and facilitating a smooth check-in process at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal. The airline will also dedicate capacity for the next two seasons to ensure continued momentum to meet the demand for cruise packages to Dubai.

The MoU was signed by Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline; and Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises.

Adnan Kazim commented on the renewed partnership: “We’re proud of AIDA Cruises’ long-standing commitment to Dubai, when they were one of the first cruise liners to home port in 2006.  We are readying the business for another robust cruise season in Dubai, and through the support of partners like AIDA Cruises anchoring in our home city and hub, we’ll continue to strengthen Dubai’s position as an attractive gateway for winter cruising.”

“The Arabian Gulf is one of our most popular winter destinations due to its moderate flight times, pleasant summer temperatures and many hours of sunshine. Combined with the new state-of-the-art terminals at Dubai Harbour within easy reach of the city’s attractions and excellent airport connectivity, our cooperation with Emirates will further enhance the attractiveness of this destination for our guests with tailor-made flight options,” said Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises.

AIDAprima has been operating to Dubai Harbour since 2021 and can accommodate up to 3,200 passengers. This season, passengers embarking and disembarking from Dubai can look forward to diverse itineraries that include destinations like Muscat, Doha, Sir Bani Yas and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai has been a first mover in joining up the entire travel and tourism ecosystem to facilitate hassle-free entry and visas for cruise passengers, seamless handling at ports which includes access to Emirates check-in desks at Dubai Harbour along with a host of other amenities dotted across the entire air and ground journey. Travellers have the added advantage of disembarking at one of the world’s most iconic tourism destinations, with landmarks and attractions that suit every taste, age and budget.

The 12 Emirates check-in counters in Dubai Harbour allow passengers who are disembarking from their cruise ships to fully check-in up to 4 hours before flight departure with the convenience of exploring Dubai without their luggage before heading directly to the airport and breezing past most formalities before their flight.

Last year, Emirates transported around 400,000 cruise passengers using Dubai cruise terminals. The city welcomed over 166 ships during the last cruise season, making it the region’s biggest port of embarkation and most popular call for cruise liners. The city expects an increase of 23% more cruise passengers for the upcoming season.

Source: Breaking  Travel News

Ethiopian Airlines to Expand Widebody Fleet with Up to 20 Boeing777X Jets.

With commitment for eight 777-9s and up to 12 more, Ethiopian Airlines is the first African customer for highly fuel-efficient 777X passenger jet.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 5, 2024 – Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest aviation group in Africa, and Boeing [NYSE: BA], a leading global aerospace company are pleased to announce the signing of

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the purchase of the latest Boeing 777-9 airplanes. The agreement includes the purchase of eight 777-9 passenger airplanes and the potential for up to 12 additional jets by Africa’s largest airline, Ethiopian. Ethiopian Airlines’ selection of the 777X positions the carrier as the first 777X customer in Africa and builds on its landmark 2023 order for 11 787 Dreamliner and 20 737 MAX airplanes in growing its modern fleet.

Regarding the signing of the MoU Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said, “We are pleased to continue setting the trend in African aviation for adopting cutting- edge technologies to enhance our services and customer satisfaction. Improving our operational performance and commitment to environmental sustainability, the 777-9 offers more flexibility, reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions. We are grateful to Boeing for their long-standing partnership and support, and we eagerly anticipate flying the 777-9 across the African skies and beyond.”

Based on the 777 and with advanced technologies from the 787 Dreamliner family, the 777-9 features new carbon-fiber composite wings and engines that will enable the airplane to achieve 10% better fuel efficiency and operating costs than other fleet families.

The 777-9 will support the Ethiopian Airlines’ plans to grow and renew its fleet in size, range and passenger and cargo capacity to reach high-demand markets in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. As part of its Vision 2035, Ethiopian is planning to fly to more than 209 international destinations flying more than 271 modern and eco-friendly aircraft.

“Ethiopian Airlines marks yet another first in our longstanding partnership by selecting the 777-9 to be the flagship of its growing fleet,” said Brad McMullen, Boeing Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “Building on a relationship that goes back 75 years, we value the unwavering trust and confidence Ethiopian Airlines puts in our airplanes.”

Boeing airplanes make up more than half of Ethiopian Airlines’ current fleet, including 29 787 Dreamliners, 20 777s, 27 Next-Generation 737s, 15 737 MAX and 3 767 jets. Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing continue to explore opportunities to further develop the country’s aerospace industry, including support for Ethiopian Airlines MRO capabilities, industrial development, training capabilities at the Ethiopian Aviation University and STEM education, as well as equipping the Ethiopian Museum of Science with aerospace exhibits.

Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook forecasts Africa's overall air traffic growth at more than 7% through 2042 ─ the third highest growth rate among global regions and above the global average growth rate of approximately 6%. Providing growth opportunities for airlines and offering enhanced features for passengers, with a range of 13,510 km (7,295 nautical miles) the 777-9enabls flights from Addis Ababa to as far as Seattle in the U.S.

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is the fastest-growing airlines brand globally and the continent’s largest airline brand. In its seventy-seven years of successful operations, Ethiopian, the fastest growing airline, has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success. In addition to its main hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it is also pursuing its multi-hub strategy through a hub in Lomé, Togo with ASKY, in Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawi Airlines and in Lusaka, Zambia with Zambia Airways. Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 150 domestic and international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian’s fleet category consists of ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, Airbus A350-900 and Bombardier Dash 8-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of seven years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate most of these aircraft. Having achieved its strategic plan (Vision 2025) ahead of time, Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2035 that will see it become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world by providing safe, secured, market driven and customer focused Passenger and Cargo Transport and Logistics, Aviation Training, Airport Management and Ground Services, MRO andAerospace Manufacturing and Travel and Tourism Services. As a multi-award-winning airline, Ethiopian has been the champion in various coveted awards including Skytrax’s ‘Best Airline in Africa Award’ for six consecutive years among others. The airline has been a Star Alliance member since 2011 and has been registering more than threefold growth in the past 10 years.

For more at: www.ethiopianairlines.com Email: CorporateCommunication@ethiopianairlines.com Contact: (251-11)517-8913/8165/8907

About Boeing [NYSE:BA]

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

I FLY AIR.

The history of this great company is intricately linked to the hard work, persistence, and passion of dedicated employees.

Our success story begun in 2018 as a travel agent company and through collective efforts we have grown to become one of the leading airlines in Kenya. We take pride in our commitment to putting our customers first and providing them with a unique and exceptional experience from our services.

Our dedication in deploying safe, reliable, and quality services through teamwork has enabled us to successfully operate scheduled flights to Wajir, Mandera, Mogadishu and Juba among others with approximately 110,000 passengers flown to all our destinations over the past 2 years. I Fly Air’s main goal is to serve our clients. We will continue striving for excellence and we remain devoted in taking I Fly Air to the next level with the purpose of creating an enduring legacy in the industry.

Explore our routes from Wilson Airport to Wajir and Mandera daily and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport weekly to Mogadishu and Juba.

Travel with us today by contacting our 24/7 call center on 0740 100 100 or book your ticket online www.ifly.co.ke Choose us and Fly with Class, Comfort and Convenience. We are the Wings of Africa!