Ethiopian Airlines faces the potential loss of another route in the Horn of Africa, as Somali authorities have threatened to revoke its flying rights amidst ongoing territorial disputes between the two nations.

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) cited concerns including poor customer experience and unresolved sovereignty issues as reasons for this action.

In a letter published by state media, the SCAA expressed dissatisfaction that Ethiopian Airlines had not adequately addressed previous complaints and had failed to properly identify Somali destinations in its communications, only using airport codes.

This, the SCAA asserted, "exacerbates the original concerns and undermines the sovereignty of Somalia."

If implemented, this would mark the second route lost by Ethiopian Airlines in the Horn region, following Eritrea's recent decision to suspend all flights by the carrier to that destination starting September 30.

The SCAA has issued an ultimatum, setting a deadline of August 23 for Ethiopia to resolve the issues. Failure to do so, according to the SCAA, will result in the suspension of all Ethiopian Airlines flights to Somalia effective immediately thereafter.

The authority emphasised that any future incidents, such as improper identification of Somali destinations, would lead to suspension without further warning.

Ethiopian Airlines lists Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, on its website without specifying the country, a practice that differs from how other destinations are typically listed.

Additionally, the SCAA noted an increase in complaints from the Somali public regarding their experiences when traveling with Ethiopian Airlines.