The Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) said Tuesday it has been implementing various measures to meet the high market demand in air transport sector at the international level.

 

Tewolde Gebremariam, chief operation officer with the EAL, told reporters that the EAL has been undertaking activities that would enable it to expand its market share and become competent in the aviation industry.

 

Tewolde said the EAL has a vision to increase the annual number of passengers to 3 million by 2010 from the present 1.7 million.

 

He said it has been striving to raise the number of jet aircraft to 30.

 

Currently, the annual income of the EAL is US$650 million, he said, adding that efforts were underway to increase the income to 1 billion dollars in 2010.

 

He said the EAL has doubled its development during the past three years. Its income has also been increasing annually on an average of 25 percent.

 

Ten Boeing 787 aircraft, which would be imported in September 2008, are expected to contribute a significant share in building the capacity of the airlines, Tewolde said.

 

The EAL has been flying to 28 destinations in Africa, he said, adding that it has been considering market, infrastructure development and other related issues to launch new routes to Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique and Liberia.

 

Tewolde said efforts aimed at building the capacity of the EAL would be further strengthened.

 

Since its launch on Dec. 5, 1945, with a maiden flight from Addis Ababa to Cairo, Egypt, the EAL has steadily grown to become a reputable carrier.

 

From its Addis Ababa hub, it provides flight connections to 48 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America.

 

With the motto "Bringing Africa Together and Closer to the World," the EAL boasts the largest network on the continent, both in passenger and cargo services.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2007)