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Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa) - Endale Assefa
11 September, 2007
British Airways, the UK-based International airline has ended its representation in Ethiopia to make way for another UK Airway BMI in late October,2007.
British Midland Airlines (BMI) has now become the sole agent of the British-Ethiopia routes, the airline said in a statement sent to The Daly Monitor on Wednesday announcing it has entered to Ethiopia's aviation market.
The reason behind the closure is not clear.
According to Naji Mahdi, BMI Commercial Development Manager for Ethiopia BMI's entrance to Ethiopia was a major development to the country's air travel industry which he said would greatly benefit by working with the British company to bring successes to the vital sector which can play a key role in overall economic endeavours.
According to the statement, BMI replaced the British Airways in Ethiopia by acquisition shares of approximately 30 million £ from the British Mediterranean Company "The acquisition will enable BMI group to accelerate its strategy of expansion into a medium-haul markets and brings a turnover in excess of £ one billion with substantial growth opportunities," the statement quoted BMI General Manager Niger Turner as saying.
The Manager added this was mainly because BMED, which he said was equipped with first class workforce, operates in 17 destinations in 16 countries and has no overlap with any current BMI routes.
BMI will start operation through a new agent that will replace British Airway's General Sales agent -Express international travel-as of next month.
The BMI group comprises of three major business units: BMI, operating a fleet of 28 Airbuses; BMI regional, operating domestic and European business routes from UK regional airports with a fleet of 16 Embracers-and BMI baby, the low-cost arm of the group, operating 19 Boeing 737s within the UK and Europe, the statement indicated.
BMI is a member of Star Alliance, the world's biggest airlines alliance that arranges safe travel to passengers throughout the world.
In its most recent financial results (2005), the BMI group reported a turnover of £869 million, with 10.5 million passengers carried.
BMI said its flight network will now include 17 new destinations throughout Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
The airline currently operates around 170 flights a day to and from its main Heathrow hub.
British Midland plc, the UK-based group holding the company of bmi- the second largest airline operating at London's Heathrow airport, Heathrow-based BA franchise airline British Mediterranean (BMED).
British Airways had been in the aviation business in Ethiopia since the Imperial period and the Mengistu's Marxist regime.
But its presence began to be felt more prominently from October 2001 on.