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Ethiopia, Britain Conclude Air Transport Agreement
Ethiopian Airlines and the British Mediterranean Airways have concluded a bilateral agreement that permits them to fly routes between the two countries, the Monitor newspaper reported Sunday.
The agreement, which was signed here on Friday after two days of negotiations, would substitute the 1958 and 1972 agreements and be applied administratively when it has been ratified by the two governments.
Under the agreement, each airline company will operate a maximum of four passenger and two cargo flights per week for the International Air Travel Association (IATA) summer season in 2001.
During the IATA summer seasons in 2003, 2004 and 2005, passenger flights will increase to five, six and seven per week, while cargo flights will be restricted to a maximum of three per week.
The agreement could be revised if the British airways does not start operation by the start of IATA season 2002, while the two sides will reconvene in 2003 to decide if more flights will be needed, the newspaper said.
The agreement permits the Ethiopian national carrier to operate Rome, Paris, Frankfurt and Athens as intermediate points, and the British Mediterranean Airways on its part will operate Alexandria, Amman, Aleppo (Syria) and Damascus.
Besides, the two airlines are free to enter into a code-sharing agreement with any other airline or airlines as long as the bilateral arrangements are not violated.
The British Mediterranean Airways could start operation next year, as there have been no British flights to Ethiopia for the past 20 years.
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