Wednesday 12 November, 2008 marked a new beginning in the operations of the Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria. After operating in Nigeria since 1961 from Lagos, there will now be flights from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory as another entry point.

The Ethiopian based Vice President; Commercial Services of the Airline Mr. Busera Awel spoke to Travel & Leisure on this new development.

Travel & Leisure: How long has Ethiopian Airlines been operating in Nigeria?

Busera Awel: We have been in Nigeria since 1961 which makes it 47 years of existence here.

Why did it take you this long to come to Abuja?

There is a bilateral agreement between Ethiopia and Nigeria. The entry point was only Lagos. So it took us sometime until both countries opened up their bilateral agreement. This was reviewed just two months ago where it was agreed upon that Abuja should be another entry point. It took us only two months to start.

What would be the flight route from Abuja?

We will go from Abuja to Addis Ababa as a hub and connect to other parts of the world; be it other parts of Africa, Saudi, the Middle East, Asia and even Europe. Addis Ababa will be a transit point.

What does this development mean for Nigeria and Ethiopia?

For the African Union (AU) as a whole, connecting Abuja and Addis Ababa is very important. The AU has tangible activities in Abuja which is one of the diplomatic cities in Africa. There are also a lot of international organisations based here. Addis Ababa being the capital city of the AU and the centre of diplomacy in Africa and home of the United Nations for Africa, connecting these two capitals of Africa is quite significant.

Will it cost more to travel from Abuja?

The advantage of being in Abuja is multisided. Passengers will save time because they do not have to travel to Lagos. The transit time in Lagos will be off too as well as the expense of making the trip to Lagos from Abuja.

What kind of packages is the Airline offering?

We have different products which I cannot enumerate at the moment. It all depends in what season the client is travelling. But there are packages for traders, pilgrims, diplomats, tourists and so on. The information will be available at the sales offices.