Ethiopian Airlines History: 1945 to Today – Airline Employee Shop

Ethiopian Airlines History

Ethiopian Airlines started in 1946 with five war-surplus C-47s and a hand from TWA, and became a Star Alliance carrier that is often first in Africa with new jets. Here's a short history of Ethiopian Airlines, plus the Ethiopian Airlines collection that celebrates them.

Founding with TWA (1945-1950)

Ethiopian Air Lines was founded on December 21, 1945, with all shares held by the government. Emperor Haile Selassie I saw a national airline as a step toward modernizing the country, and TWA was brought in to help set it up and run it. The first revenue flight left on April 8, 1946, from Addis Ababa to Cairo via Asmara, on one of five Douglas C-47s.

Across Africa and into the jet age (1951-1971)

International flights grew from 1951, and two Douglas DC-6Bs were ordered in 1956. Ethiopian joined IATA on January 1, 1959. On November 8, 1961, it opened an Addis Ababa to Accra, Lagos and Monrovia route on DC-6Bs, an early east-west link across Africa by an African airline. Two Boeing 720s arrived in December 1962, and the first jet service, to Nairobi, flew on January 15, 1963. The company became a share company in 1965 and changed its name to Ethiopian Airlines. By 1971 TWA's management role had ended and the airline was fully run by Ethiopians.

Boeing firsts for Africa (1982-2012)

In 1982 Ethiopian became the first African carrier to order the Boeing 767, and the first to order the 767-200ER. In November 2010 it took its first Boeing 777-200LR, the first African airline to order and fly that type. It joined Star Alliance in December 2011. On August 14, 2012, Boeing delivered Ethiopian's first 787 Dreamliner, the first for an Africa-based airline.

Ethiopian today

In 2016 Ethiopian became the first African airline to fly the Airbus A350. Its hub is Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, where the company is headquartered. Ethiopian Cargo runs a large freighter operation with a European hub in Liège. The airline remains wholly owned by the government through Ethiopian Investment Holdings.

A few things collectors love

  • The first two jets carried river names: Boeing 720s ET-AAG "Blue Nile" and ET-AAH "White Nile."
  • At the 2012 delivery, the airline said it was the first in the world outside Japan to receive the 787.
  • Ethiopian was the third Africa-based airline to join Star Alliance.

Shop Ethiopian Airlines

Browse Ethiopian Airlines logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in the Ethiopian Airlines collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag for your next trip.

AirlineEmployeeShop.com is an independent retailer of airline memorabilia. This page is for historical interest and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ethiopian Airlines.