African Airline Crisis: Ethiopian Airlines Loses $137 Million in One Week
The largest airline in Africa is experiencing a catastrophic week due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has paralyzed a significant part of its operations.
What the Company Says
Ethiopian Airlines has lost $137 million in just one week, according to its commercial director, Lemma Yadhecha. The company has been forced to suspend flights to 10 destinations, with up to 15 flights per day canceled to the Middle East and the Gulf.
Affected Destinations
Flights have been suspended to:
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- Doha
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Sharjah
- Dammam
- Muscat
- Beirut
- Tel Aviv No restart date has been set for the time being.
Pre-Crisis Operations
Before the crisis, the company operated three daily flights to Dubai and two to Abu Dhabi. All flights have been grounded since March 2, 2026.
Damaging Figures
The crisis has resulted in:
- Over 160 canceled flights per week
- Between 40,000 and 50,000 stranded passengers per week
- Losses totaling:
- $135 million in passenger flights
- $2 million in cargo
Not Just Ethiopian Airlines
Many other airlines are in the same situation, including:
- Emirates
- Etihad
- Qatar Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Air France
- British Airways
- Lufthansa
- KLM
- Air Algérie All have suspended flights to the region.
Global Impact
The crisis has had a significant global impact, with:
- Over 1 million travelers stranded
- More than 20,000 flights grounded since February 28, 2026
