.Best in Africa 8th consecutive year, Group CEO honoured with AviaDev Award

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s leading aviation group, has been named ‘Best Airline in Africa’ by SKYTRAX at the 2025 World Airline Awards.

This marks the 8th consecutive year the airline has earned this coveted title.

The announcement was made during a prestigious ceremony held at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, where global airlines were recognised for excellence in service, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

In addition to the top regional honour, Ethiopian Airlines also secured several other awards, including Best Airline in Africa, Best Economy Class in Africa, Best Business Class in Africa, and Best Business Class Onboard Catering in Africa.

These prestigious accolades underscore Ethiopian Airlines’ unwavering commitment to delivering world-class service and its strategic investments in fleet modernisation, innovation, and sustainability.

They also reflect the airline’s consistent focus on enhancing the customer experience and operational excellence across its expansive network of over 140 international destinations.

Mr. Mesfin Tasew, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “We are truly honoured to be recognised once again as the Best Airline in Africa by SKYTRAX. These achievements are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of the entire Ethiopian Airlines family. It also reflects the trust and loyalty of our valued customers across the world. We remain committed to exceeding expectations through world-class service and connectivity that bridges Africa with the rest of the world.”

As Africa’s flag carrier, Ethiopian continues to play a key role in advancing the continent’s air transport industry.

With an expanding network, state-of-the-art aircraft, and a focus on sustainability and digital innovation, the airline is setting new benchmarks for global excellence.

Dubbed the “Oscars of the Aviation Industry”, The World Airline Awards is a much-anticipated event in the industry. The World Airline Awards was introduced in 1999 to provide a customer satisfaction study. To determine the award winners, travellers across the world vote in the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey.

Also, Ethiopian Airlines’ Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, has been honoured with the prestigious Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to route development and African aviation.

The award has been presented to Tasew during the grand AviaDev Africa 2025 ceremony that gathered over 500 high profile delegates from across Africa and beyond in Zanzibar.

This distinguished recognition celebrates Tasew’s years of exceptional contribution, and continuing impact on the airline’s success. 

It also highlights Tasew’s commendable leadership that is making a change beyond Ethiopian Airlines.

Expressing his gratitude Tasew said, “The joy I feel for receiving the Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award is twofold. This award is more than an honour as it is named after Africa’s father of aviation, Ethiopian Airlines’ former CEO and my mentor.”

He added, “This award is a testament to the collaborative effort of the entire Ethiopian Airlines’ team. As a Pan-African airline we strive to realise a well-connected Africa and such recognitions strengthens our commitment to do more. Taking this opportunity, I would like to reaffirm my personal and Ethiopian Airlines’ commitment to the enhancement of the aviation industry in the continent.”

Under Tasew’s visionary guidance, Ethiopian Airlines has established itself as a prominent airline group in the aviation sector by attaining significant milestones, setting industry standards for excellence, and reaffirming its commitment to connecting cultures and fostering international collaboration. Named in the honour of Mr. Girma Wake, the father of African aviation, the Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on the advancement of aviation across the continent.

AviaDev, the premier aviation route development event for Africa sets the stage to strengthen connections between aviation stakeholders, bringing together airports, airlines, tourism authorities, governments, and industry suppliers.

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