Global Crisis Boosts East African Airline Profits

(ADDIS ABABA) – African airlines are experiencing a sharp increase in passenger numbers as global flight paths are changed due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Ethiopian Airlines has introduced more technical stops on its longest routes to save fuel at its main hub and manage the growing demand for travel through East Africa.

This strategy allows the airline to carry a full load of passengers and cargo while refuelling at lower altitude airports where planes can take off more efficiently.

Airports in the region such as Addis Ababa and Nairobi are located at high altitudes which makes it harder for heavily loaded planes to take off with full fuel tanks.

To solve this, carriers are using stops in places like Entebbe and Muscat to top up their fuel. This change comes as major flight hubs in the Gulf face disruptions, causing more international travellers to book flights through East African cities.

While the cost of fuel is a concern, airlines are currently more focused on whether enough fuel is physically available to keep planes moving.

In Uganda, national oil reserves are reported to have about 18.5 million litres of aviation fuel which is enough to last for nearly a month. Despite these supplies, the pressure on the regional fuel chain remains high as more planes land to refuel.

Kenya Airways and Uganda Airlines are also seeing more business on their routes connecting Asia to Europe and North America. Flights between Mumbai and London via Entebbe are currently flying with almost every seat filled.

Aviation experts say that while African airlines have managed this disruption well, the current boost in traffic may be temporary as global flight patterns eventually return to normal.