Ethiopian Airlines to give Singapore Changi and Singapore Airlines an important link to Africa

Singapore Changi is close to plugging the biggest hole in its network, East Africa, with a proposed new service from Ethiopian Airlines. As traffic growth at Changi slows significantly, the airport needs to identify new markets. Africa, particularly East Africa, opens the door to an array of traffic flows which currently bypass Singapore.

Africa has emerged as an important and fast-growing region for Asia. A Singapore-Addis Ababa route gives Changi connections throughout Africa as well as an alternative for exploiting the fast-growing Asia-Brazil market.

Securing Ethiopian is critical for Changi as Singapore has fallen behind other Asian hubs in attracting African carriers. Changi currently is served by just one African carrier, Air Mauritius, with one weekly flight that is routed via Kuala Lumpur. Singapore Airlines only operates non-stop flights to one destination in Africa, Johannesburg, although it also serves Cape Town and Cairo on a one-stop basis.