The Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) said Thursday it has provided service to more than 462,000 passengers during the first three months of the current budget year (July 8, 2005 — July 7, 2006).

EAL public relations manager Kagnew Fiseha told journalists that the number of passengers during the reported period increased by about 17 percent as compared to the number during the same period last year.

He said the street violence occurred in the country’s capital Addis Ababa early last month had the effect of decreasing the number of passengers.

He said EAL earned an over 308 million birr (35.5 million US dollars) net profit during the 2004/2005 budget year.

The annual number of passengers reached over one million due to various reform measures taken by the EAL during the past years.

He said EAL has been undertaking a modernization program enabling it to be competent in the air transport industry.

EAL has begun activities enabling to import modern Dreamliner Boeing 787 airplanes at a cost of 1.2 billion dollars.

EAL is a major international air carrier and the largest African airline. It offers convenient service from the United States, Europe and Asia.

It provides domestic and international air service between Ethiopia and other countries. EAL has a good safety record and is one of the few profitable African airlines. EAL also provides training and maintenance to more than a dozen African and middle eastern airlines.

Source: Xinhua