Ethiopian Airlines brings jobs back to Brussels Airport

Ethiopian Airlines is bringing a number of cargo flights back to Brussels Airport, after the company moved flights to Maastricht last November. By the end of March, the airline’s cargo flights will double to 12 a week.

Ethiopian moved out last year because it was unable to obtain permanent traffic rights to fly direct to Dubai, Shanghai and Hong Kong, rather than stopping over in Addis Ababa. That issue has been resolved in the meantime by an agreement between the Belgian and Ethiopian governments, and talks got under way immediately to attract the airline back to Zaventem.

“I am delighted that Ethiopian Airlines Cargo has decided to return to our airport” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport. “The carrier’s return is a highly positive development, not just for the airport but also for the Belgian economy as a whole. This move will not only see the reinstatement of the jobs that were lost with the air carrier’s withdrawal, it will also create many new jobs.”

The bilateral agreement also leaves the way open for more cargo flights in the future, he said.

Photo: Maarten Visser/Wikimedia