Ethiopian Airlines has reported a revenue of 4.4 billion US dollars in the first half of the 2025/26 Ethiopian fiscal year, signalling robust performance from Africa’s largest and most profitable airline. The figures were shared by Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew during a press briefing held on 10 February 2026 in Addis Ababa, where he outlined the airline’s operational progress and challenges.
The revenue represents a 14 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, indicating that the national carrier has maintained a strong upward trajectory despite facing significant global and operational hurdles. According to the CEO, the airline’s growth has been fuelled by the expansion of its international network, a growing fleet of modern aircraft, and a consistent rise in both passenger and freight services.
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates 170 aircraft and has conducted a total of 333,600 flight hours during the six-month reporting period. More than 10.6 million passengers were transported to over 145 international destinations, underscoring the airline’s strategic emphasis on connectivity across Africa and beyond. In terms of freight, the airline reported carrying 451,000 tonnes of cargo, marking a 19 percent increase from the previous year.
This sustained growth is set against the broader context of a shifting global aviation landscape. The airline has recently opened three new destinations and added seven aircraft to its fleet. These developments reflect both Ethiopian Airlines’ operational agility and its ability to respond to continental demand for air transport infrastructure that fosters trade, mobility and economic integration.
However, the CEO also pointed to several challenges constraining operations. These include a global shortage of aircraft, adverse weather conditions, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and wider economic uncertainty. Of particular note was the reference to the impact of the United States visa policies under the former administration of President Donald Trump, which imposed restrictions affecting African travellers and, by extension, airlines serving those passengers. While the political administration in the United States has since changed, the long-term effects of such policies continue to reverberate in the air travel ecosystem, especially for African carriers seeking transatlantic connectivity.
The airline’s achievements are not merely corporate metrics but stand as indicators of the resilience and potential within Africa’s aviation sector. Ethiopian Airlines has long been viewed as a bellwether for the continent’s air transport ambitions, balancing commercial viability with a broader regional role in shaping intra-African travel and trade. Its performance adds to a growing body of evidence that Africa’s aviation story is not one of dependency but of innovation and strategic agency.
The narrative around African airlines is often framed within deficit or fragility, yet Ethiopian Airlines’ results complicate such portrayals. They illustrate a more dynamic and layered reality where African-owned enterprises navigate and often excel within structurally inequitable global systems. In doing so, they offer alternative models for growth that are rooted in African leadership, planning and adaptability.
The broader implications of Ethiopian Airlines’ success invite further reflection on the infrastructure and policy frameworks necessary to support pan-African air transport. As the African Continental Free Trade Area continues to take shape, the role of accessible, reliable and affordable air travel will be central in enabling its goals. Ethiopian Airlines’ experience suggests that with strategic investment and policy alignment, African carriers can become pillars of continental integration and global competitiveness.
