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The award recognizes companies that went above and beyond in responding to the global pandemic crisis and in assisting their customers, protecting their employees and providing critical support to society at large.
Ethiopian Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam remarked, “We are glad to have won the ‘Overall Excellence for Outstanding Crisis Leadership 2020 Award’ which recognizes our distinct capabilities of successful management of multiple crises taking place simultaneously like a perfect storm. During the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in panic, fear and hopelessness in the industry; we have demonstrated resilience, agility and speed of decision making and special competency in fast redeployment of organizational resources to our Cargo division to airlift life-saving COVID-19 PPE and medical supplies. We have reconfigured 25 passenger airplanes for cargo only flights and we also availed the remaining passenger airplanes for repatriation of stranded people to connect with their loved ones back home. As a socially responsible airline, we stood in solidarity with the world during the unprecedented crisis and served communities around the globe to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic challenges. We are ready to repeat the remarkable and globally recognized success in leading the fast delivery of life-saving PPE’s with similar delivery speed and professional handling during the forthcoming global distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Ethiopian is among the global airlines which played a leading role in transporting medical supplies and stranded people after COVID-19 struck. Since the outbreak, Ethiopian operated over 360 charter cargo flights and carried medical supplies to over 80 countries besides reuniting more than 63,000 citizens of different countries through charter repatriation flights.
Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to 127 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft. Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with Six business units: Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian ADD Hub Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services.