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Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mesfin Tasew (2nd right) being presented with the award
Ethiopian Airlines has once again been named the ‘Best Airline in Africa’ at the 2026 SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, extending its reign in the category to nine consecutive years.
The latest recognition places the Ethiopian flag carrier among the continent’s most consistently recognised airlines, coming alongside two additional awards for its economy-class catering and business-class service.
At the 2026 edition of the global aviation awards, Ethiopian Airlines was named Best Airline in Africa, Best Economy Class Onboard Catering in Africa and Best Business Class in Africa.
The awards provide recognition across different aspects of the airline’s passenger offering, ranging from the overall quality of the airline to onboard catering and premium cabin services.
For Ethiopian Airlines, the latest honours come as the carrier continues to expand its international network and invest in its fleet, technology and passenger services.
The airline has increasingly positioned Addis Ababa as a major gateway connecting African passengers with destinations across different regions of the world, with its extensive network supporting connections between Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
Commenting on the latest achievement, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, said the ninth consecutive Skytrax award was an important milestone for the airline.
“Being recognised as the Skytrax Best Airline in Africa for the ninth consecutive year is a proud milestone for Ethiopian Airlines,” Tasew said.
According to him, the recognition reflected the confidence of passengers in the airline as well as the commitment of its workforce to maintaining service standards.
“This achievement reflects the confidence that our valued customers place in us, the dedication of our employees, and our continued commitment to delivering world-class service,” he said.
Tasew added that the airline remained committed to improving the travel experience for passengers across its network.
“We are honoured by the recognition and remain committed to delivering excellence to every passenger we serve,” he said.
The latest awards also come at a time when Ethiopian Airlines is continuing to pursue expansion through investments in modern aircraft, digital technology, network development and improvements in service delivery.
The airline said these investments were aimed at enhancing the overall passenger experience while providing greater connectivity and convenience to travellers.
Its focus on fleet development has enabled the carrier to operate a broad international network, while investments in digital systems have increasingly become part of efforts to simplify various stages of the passenger journey.
The airline has also continued to place emphasis on its onboard products, with the 2026 Skytrax recognition for economy-class catering and business class providing additional recognition for two areas of its passenger service.
The Best Economy Class Onboard Catering in Africa award highlights the airline’s offering to passengers travelling in its economy cabin, while the Best Business Class in Africa award recognises its premium cabin service.
Ethiopian Airlines said the latest awards reflected the combined efforts of its employees across its operations.
The airline’s management also linked the recognition to customer loyalty, saying the continued support of passengers had played an important role in its performance.
Beyond its passenger service, Ethiopian Airlines has built an extensive aviation group covering several areas of the industry, while maintaining its position as one of Africa’s most internationally connected carriers.
Its international network has helped to strengthen Addis Ababa’s role as a major aviation hub, providing connections for passengers travelling between African cities and destinations outside the continent.
The carrier’s strategy has also centred on expanding connectivity while maintaining operational and service standards as its global footprint grows.
Ethiopian Airlines said it would continue to focus on convenient connectivity, reliable service and personalised travel experiences in response to the changing expectations of passengers.
The airline’s latest Skytrax success therefore comes not only as recognition of its overall performance but also of specific elements of its passenger offering.
The ninth consecutive Best Airline in Africa title further extends Ethiopian Airlines’ record at the awards and adds to its growing list of international industry recognitions.
For the carrier, the focus now remains on sustaining the standards that have earned it continued passenger and industry recognition while expanding its presence in the increasingly competitive global aviation market.
The airline said its investments in aircraft, technology, network expansion and service improvement would continue as it works to connect more African cities with the rest of the world.
With the latest three awards, Ethiopian Airlines has once again placed its passenger experience and service offering at the centre of its global expansion strategy, reinforcing its ambition to remain a leading aviation group on the continent.
