Africa so far yet so near (now)

Ethiopian Airlines, launched only last year, now flies between Manila and Addis Ababa four times weekly and a whole new world is opening up between these two cities

PAST AND POTENTIAL Lalibela was among the most affected during the great famine of 1984, but with better infrastructure, technology, and government planning and management, it is now a vast, almost endless field of promise.

LIVING PAST Local children at the House of the Holy Savior, a monolithic building carved out of stone dating back to the 13th century. It forms part of a complex of 11 Ethiopian Orthodox churches in Lalibela, considered the 'eighth wonder in the world.'

SHARED VALUES 'Ethiopians and Filipinos, we have so much in common,' says Esayas Hailu, managing director at Ethiopian International Services

Economy Class seats,

Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner Service

Dreamliner B787

Cloud Nine Business Class

When I met Esayas Hailu, managing director at Ethiopian International Services, at his office in a huge complex in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, I saw a man brimming with passion.

BRIDGING THE GAP

It's not unusual to see this kind of passion in a man on top of such a forward-looking company, especially in a leader like him, to whom, as he says, all the international offices of Ethiopian Airlines, "from Tokyo to Toronto, from Seoul to Sao Paolo and Los Angeles, Madrid, and Paris, of course Manila," report directly. Even then, on his shoulders rest not only the big picture as well as the small details at the airline but also its many related enterprises, including but not limited to the aviation academy, through which the airline trains its own pilots, cabin crew, and personnel, and the hangar facilities through which its fleet of aircraft, as well as those of other airlines, are maintained, repaired, and overhauled.

It is unusual, however, that his enthusiasm goes beyond business interests—his eyes sparkle and his face brightens, as he speaks of his plans, which encompass the future of the world.

"I'm excited about the Philippines!" beams Hailu, as he welcomes our small Philippine delegation arriving from Manila via Ethiopian Airlines' Dreamliner 787 that flies four times weekly between Manila and Addis Ababa with a one-hour stop (to pick up more passengers) in Bangkok. "My plan is to make it daily, and on my wish list is a direct, non-stop flight between our cities. In the meantime, without a doubt, I am to spend my next family vacation in Manila."

THE NEW SPIRIT OF AFRICA

Things are looking up in Ethiopia, just as they are looking up in the Philippines and many parts of Asia. The Africans say it's time for Africa, just as the Asians say it's time for Asia, especially the Asians of the Far East. It's just perfect timing that Ethiopia, particularly Ethiopian Airlines, which is fully owned by the government, is determined to bridge the gap between the two continents, both of which cradled the most distant of humanity's past, including Lucy, the tiny, puny woman from 3.18 million years ago, whose fossilized remains unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974 are the oldest trace of humans who walked upright ever found so far, and therefore we'd like to believe she was the mother of us all.

"Here in Ethiopia, we are very aggressive in promoting Asian destinations, but also Philippine destinations, not only destinations but also investment possibilities," says Hailu. "You know, the Filipinos and the Ethiopians, we have so much in common. We are very communal, sociable, very family-oriented, hardworking, and very religious."

Indeed, Ethiopian Airlines is in the best place on earth to connect the world. If you were to lay the world map on a flat surface, you could connect the farthest point in the east with the farthest in the west with a straight line and Ethiopia would be right in the middle of that line. In fact, as Hailu points out, from Manila, the fastest route to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics would have been through Addis Ababa.

While even now, among many Filipinos and the rest of the world's peoples, Africa is still associated with war, famine, and poverty, the region is now among the fastest growing in the world and Ethiopia is the leader of this pack. There is still drought, such as last year in Ethiopia, but apparently the Ethiopians have taken their lessons from the terrible drought of 1984 to heart and with better infrastructure, technology, and management skills, they are now well-prepared to handle it even and especially in the face of climate change.

BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER

As it has done in the past, when all its neighbors in the African continent was either France, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, or the Great Britain, Ethiopia is now championing, to borrow from the new Ethiopian Airlines slogan, "the New Spirit of Africa." Of all African nations, it has been the only one that has maintained its independence throughout its over 3,000 years of history—Italy tried to occupy Ethiopia but succeeded only briefly, first in 1893 and then in the time of Benito Mussolini during the Axis invasion that led to World War II.

For a long while, Ethiopia had been, as Hailu puts it, "the only black voice representing all of black humanity" in the League of Nations.

In fact, before Ethiopian Airlines was established in 1945 and then turned into a national carrier in 1946 with a maiden flight from Addis Ababa to Cairo, the only way to travel from one point of Africa to another was through London or Paris. "When we started," adds Hailu citing an old battlecry of the airline's, "Bringing Africa Together," "the people had never even conceived the concept of an African union."

With hope, all that is in the past. Although some African nations are still struggling to be in step with Ethiopia, the latter has performed its duty to connect them and enjoin them in, again, "the New Spirit of Africa." "And now," adds Hailu, "we are linking Africa with the rest of the world."

But highly spirited about his vision, Hailu seems to have an even grander vision. "Africa is the largest continental land mass on earth," he says, adding that 60 percent of it is arable, uncultivated land. "So if food should be the next crisis for humanity, Africa is the answer. That is why we are attracting investments to Africa." Although it is in no way a far-fetched idea in a world whose resources relative to its exploding population, particularly in the developing countries, are overextended, there is evidence that Ethiopian Airlines does have interest in addressing the burning issues of our time. For instance, gender equality being a sensitive issue right now, the airline has only recently launched an all-female flight, first from Addis Ababa to Bangkok and back in November 2015 and then again, on March 8, 2016, in observance of International Women's Day, from Addis Ababa to Kigali, Rwanda and back. Both flights were, indeed, all female, from pilot and co-pilot to cabin crew, all the way to the support personnel, those loading the baggage, dispatching the flight, and manning customs, immigration, even quarantine. "It's not that the women are trying to outdo the men, that is not the point," says Hailu. "For us, men and women are half pictures and you put them together and you have a complete picture."

THE DREAMLINER

As for his plans for the Philippines, there is reason to believe Hailu when he says "We love to promote this beautiful destination." The Manila-Addis Ababa route through Bangkok on Ethiopian Airlines was only inaugurated last year on a three-flights-in-a-week frequency, but that route is now already being serviced four times a week. "Three more flights a week and we'll have it daily," beams Hailu. "If you ask me I would have wanted the daily flight yesterday, but we are just waiting for the traffic to mature. And we (both Ethiopia and the Philippines) have to do our mutual homework." In the meantime, Ethiopian Airlines has upscaled the aircraft that flies between Manila and Addis Ababa from a 230-seater to a 270-seater, the new Dreamliner 787, which boasts not only of increased capacity but also state-of-the-art features, such as the largest window in the sky so far. Consuming less fuel, the aircraft is also friendly to the environment. "That's how important the Manila route is for us," he adds.

But their investment in Manila doesn't stop there. "Ethiopian Airlines is just like a flying tourism board or investment board of the Philippines," says Hailu. "We are on a mission to promote the OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker), very industrious. The Philippines is the number one producer of marine personnel. (But) we are also making paid advertising for the Philippines in all of Africa. We do love to promote this beautiful destination. I want to bring more Africans to the Philippines, (to see) the white sand beaches, (to go) shopping, and (to undergo) head-to-toe treatments (medical tourism)." He adds that for Filipinos, who are as religious as the Ethiopians, the ancient churches of Ethiopia make for a good pilgrimage destination—Lalibela alone, UNESCO Heritage Site of 11 interconnected Christian Orthodox churches that date back to the 13th century, is guaranteed to satiate the wanderlust of the Filipino faithful, if only for its architectural gems and biblical refere nces.

"But we need to sit down with the Philippine tourism board, the Philippine investment board, and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce," says Hailu, sounding excited. "That way we not only take or bring passengers, but also share values, culture, and economic ties."

Don't miss out on Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dream Adventure Treat!

In celebration of its 70th anniversary globally and first in the Philippines, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline and aviation technology leader, is offering travel deals from Manila to over 90 international destinations all over the globe via its Manila-Addis Ababa Route. Fly roundtrip for only $787 for Economy Class and $1787 for Business Class. Take advantage of this special promo by booking your tickets now until Sept. 30. www.ethiopianairlines.com

Source: Africa so far yet so near (now)