Ethiopian Airlines launched a new passenger terminal at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and officially opened the brands ultra-modern five-star Skylight Hotel this week.
The ceremony was attended by Ethiopia's Prime Minister HE Abiy Ahmed, African Union chairperson HE Mr Moussa Faki, ministers, high-level government officials, the airline's board members, airline group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam, executive management members among others.
Addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony, Tewolde GebreMariam said: ?While Addis Ababa Airport took over Dubai as the largest air transport hub between Africa and the rest of the world, this grand terminal building is further evidence of the development of Bole Airport as one of the largest and most convenient global aviation hubs.?
The new USD 363 million passenger terminal will help to serve the huge increase in volume through and into the airport. The airport will now be able to accommodate 22 million passengers annually thanks to its additional 86,000 sqm in terminal 2, 16,000 sqm in terminal 1 and 6,000 sqm for the new VIP terminal. The terminal has a new check-in hall with elevated motorway and many more international gates as well as check-in and immigration counters. It also features the latest technology security systems, self-check-in machines, a self-boarding system, comfortable lounges, duty-free shops, restaurants and other amenities.
Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, located adjacent to the airport, has an aircraft shape design. It provides 373 guest rooms and executive suites, four restaurants, two bars, a swimming pool, gym, health centre, caf? and gift shops. The hotel also has five meeting rooms and a conference hall that can accommodate 2,000 people.
Tewolde GebreMariam commented: ?Ethiopian Skylight Hotel will enable the airline to offer packaged tour and travel programs. Moreover, the hotel will enable Ethiopian Airlines to attract around a third of tourists out of the 6 million passengers transiting through Bole Airport to visit Ethiopia.?
Prime Minister Abiy remarked: ?Ethiopian Airlines is our national pride and a special icon among our companies as it carries our common name Ethiopia and our national flag.
We would like all employees of the airline here and elsewhere to know that we speak of you with pride. The new hotel Ethiopian Airlines inaugurated today will enable us to attract tourists, and the airline?s offer for employees to own shares of the hotel is important as it boosts a sense of ownership among staff and will serve as a model for other companies to emulate.
What we learn from today?s inauguration of the new passenger terminal is that we have a lot of work ahead of us. We expect the Board and the Management not to be complacent with the new terminal, but rather to aim for a bigger facility with a capacity to accommodate at least 100 million passengers.?
