Ethiopian Airlines suspended its flights to Eritrea, citing unspecified “difficult operating conditions” that it has encountered.
The airline, Africa’s largest by revenue and profit according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), stated that the suspension took effect on September 3.
The move comes as Eritrea had previously indicated it would halt all Ethiopian Airlines flights at the end of this month.
This decision marks a significant downturn in relations between the two countries, which had seen a positive shift following the resumption of flights in 2018 after a peace agreement and normalization of diplomatic ties.
The peace deal, which ended a long-standing conflict and led to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed receiving a Nobel Peace Prize, initially restored flight connections between Addis Ababa and Asmara, which had been severed since 1998 due to a border war.
However, diplomatic relations have since deteriorated, notably after Eritrea was excluded from peace talks that ended a conflict involving Ethiopia’s Tigray region in 2022 and due to Eritrean troops’ continued presence in Tigray.
Five diplomats speaking to Reuters noted that the suspension is a tangible signal of the worsening relationship between Asmara and Addis Ababa. Still, they indicated that a full-scale return to conflict is unlikely.
In its statement, Ethiopian Airlines expressed regret over the disruption to travellers.
It stated it would seek to rebook affected passengers on alternative flights at no additional cost or provide refunds.
The airline did not elaborate on the nature of the operating conditions that led to the suspension.
Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
