Private airline operators demand second airport in capital
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Private airlines operating in Addis Ababa requested the Ethiopian government to build an alternative airport that can handle small aircraft.
At a stakeholders’ consultative meeting held at the headquarters of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) yesterday representatives of private airlines said that small airlines that operate light aircraft are unable to use the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
Deputy managing director of Abyssinian Flight Services, Amare Gebrehana (Capt.), said that private airlines, which operate small aircraft, are having a very difficult time at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. “There is only one run way. The air traffic is increasing rapidly and there is congestion. We operate small aircraft like Cessna Caravan and we are sharing the same runway with giant aircraft such as B777 and B787. Air traffic controllers obviously give priority for big jetliners. That is what they are actually supposed to do. But we are not operating according to our schedule because of the congestion at the run way. We have opened a pilot training school and are training cadets. Now our cadets are not able to exercise as much as we want,” Amare told officials of the ECAA.
Read more at: The Reporter
