Rate your Ethiopian Airlines Experience

[Anonymous]

Ethiopian Airlines is the only thing Ethiopia has going for it and they don't play around with it - the flight attendants are great, the meals aren't bad either. That being said, cancellations are more common than with other more established airlines and if your flight originates and ends in a developing country, the experience is often time different - older planes and more delays. Would I fly them again? Yes.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I flew Ethiopian - it was the worst airline experience ever. Having traveled overseas quite a bit there are certain norms that you expect on those types of flights that make the travel a bit easier. E.g. having set times that are for "sleeping" - with the lights in the plane off, no announcements or service interruptions, etc. This didn't work for our 2 15+ hour flights. People were up and walking around, opening the overhead bins, playing loudly with children (not babies who can't be controlled - but 5 or 6 years olds screaming and laughing), opening window shades etc. It was terrible. Staff weren't helpful or friendly. To top it off, security in Addis was a joke - I literally saw a guy walk around the metal detector and didn't get his bag checked at all (this was the security at the gate, not at the airport entrance).

Only benefit: if you have a long layover in Addis the airline provides a voucher for a hotel room and meals (you go to the customs desk on the second floor before baggage claim to get it).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I flew Ethiopian - it was the worst airline experience ever. Having traveled overseas quite a bit there are certain norms that you expect on those types of flights that make the travel a bit easier. E.g. having set times that are for "sleeping" - with the lights in the plane off, no announcements or service interruptions, etc. This didn't work for our 2 15+ hour flights. People were up and walking around, opening the overhead bins, playing loudly with children (not babies who can't be controlled - but 5 or 6 years olds screaming and laughing), opening window shades etc. It was terrible. Staff weren't helpful or friendly. To top it off, security in Addis was a joke - I literally saw a guy walk around the metal detector and didn't get his bag checked at all (this was the security at the gate, not at the airport entrance).

Only benefit: if you have a long layover in Addis the airline provides a voucher for a hotel room and meals (you go to the customs desk on the second floor before baggage claim to get it).

This is not just specific to Ethiopian Airlines. I had a similar experience with Turkish Airlines and will never use them again. I am a seasoned traveler- make six to eight international trips yearly.