What services can you expect during your flight and when transferring with Ethiopian Airlines?

In-flight refreshments

Ethiopian Airlines provides complimentary refreshments on all its routes, including for economy class passengers.

On long-haul flights lasting over 7 hours, you will always be served two meals.

• 1 full hot meal
• 1 breakfast or cold dinner if the flight departs or arrives during the night

On ultra-long-haul flights to North and South America, you’ll be served two meals plus a small snack.

In-flight entertainment system

The in-flight entertainment system will keep you entertained even on flights lasting more than 10 hours. There’s a huge selection of films, TV series, documentaries, music and arcade games available.

The in-flight entertainment system is completely free of charge.

Screens are fitted to every seat on all aircraft (with the exception of the Dash 8-400, which is used on domestic flights within Ethiopia), including on shorter flights within Africa or to the Middle East.

Wi-Fi during the flight

On board Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and Boeing 777 aircraft, you can use the internet during the flight.

The connection is available once the aircraft has reached cruising altitude.

The following charges apply for internet access:

• 1 Hour Pass – 5 usd
• 2 Hours Pass – 10 usd
• 3 Hours Pass – 15 usd
• Full Flight Pass – 25 usd

Free hotel and meals when changing flights

Ethiopian Airlines’ business model focuses primarily on transit passengers travelling through its main hub in Addis Ababa, and it tailors its services accordingly.

When transiting with Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa, you are entitled toa free hotel and meals, provided you meet a few simple conditions.

The process for securing a transit hotel with Ethiopian Airlines is the simplest of all the airlines that offer free accommodation when transferring at their hubs.

The hotels are of a very high standard and comfortable.

Under what conditions are you entitled to a hotel?

• Your layover is longer than 8 hours but shorter than 24 hours
• Both flights must be with Ethiopian Airlines
• Both flights must be booked as part of a single reservation

Book a connecting flight at ethiopian.com

How do I book a hotel?

You do not need to book a hotel.

When you check in at the airport, simply ask for a hotel voucher. This will always be issued to you either straight away at check-in or at the boarding gate as you board the aircraft.

The hotel has sufficient capacity and is never fully booked.

At some airports, there may not be enough forms available to issue the voucher. In this case, upon arrival in Addis Ababa, please go to the counter Customer Service Desk located near the security checkpoint for transit passengers, where you will be issued with your voucher.

Where should you go upon arrival?

Where you go depends on which hotel is listed on your hotel voucher.

Skylight In-Terminal

You do not need to leave the transit area; simply follow the ‘International Transfer’ signs straight to security, proceed through to the departure gates area and follow the green signs for ‘SKYLIGHT IN-TERMINAL HOTEL’

Priority accommodation at this hotel is given to passengers with a transfer time of just over 8 hours or to business class passengers.

You cannot leave the airport from the Skylight In-Terminal Hotel.

Skylight

If you have a hotel voucher and a boarding pass for your connecting flight, obtained at your point of departure, head straight to immigration at the counters Passport Control rather than the ‘Visa-on-arrival’ counters.

Ethiopian Airlines passengers with a layover of 8–24 hours are exempt from visa requirements and do not need to apply for a transit visa.

If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, you must visit the counter Customer Service Desk.

After passport control, you will go through customs and, in the public area of the arrivals hall, present your voucher at the ‘Hotel Shuttle’ counter, which is impossible to miss.

Staff will show you which bus to board. The free shuttle bus runs every 15–30 minutes and the journey to the hotel takes about 5 minutes.

Will I be provided with a meal at the hotel?

Yes, after checking in at the hotel reception, you’ll receive a voucher for breakfast, lunch and dinner – up to three meals, depending on the length of your stopover.

The restaurants are buffet-style and there is a good selection of food. The only drink available is bottled still water.

Can I leave the hotel and go into the city centre?

If you are staying at the Skylight Hotel outside the airport grounds, then yes.

If you are staying at the Skylight In-Terminal Hotel, no.

City tour during a stopover

Addis Ababa is a relatively safe city by African standards, although it is not advisable to take your mobile phone out in public, especially in a crowd.

You can therefore make your own way from the hotel or the airport to the city centre; see the guide to Addis Ababa Airport.

However, if you prefer the comfort and peace of mind of a guided tour, take advantage of the official offers from the airline’s subsidiary, Ethiopian Holidays.

There are several packages to choose from:

• Addis Ababa, full-day tour – 240 usd per person; the price is reduced for groups (for example, 89 usd per person for a group of 3–4 people)
• Addis Ababa, half-day tour – 170 usd per person; the price is reduced for groups (for example, 95 usd per person in a group of 3–4 people)
• Entoto Natural Park, full-day tour – 348 usdper person; the price is reduced for groups (for example, 177 usd per person in a group of 3–4 people)
• Wanchi Crater Lake, full-day tour – 335 usd per person; the price is reduced for groups (for example, 135 usd per person in a group of 3–4 people)
• and more

Prices include transport, guide services, meals, admission to attractions and museums, and 1 litre of water.

Bookings can be made on the websiteethiopianholidays.com.

Transit lounge

In the past, all passengers with a 6–8-hour layover were granted free access to the lounge.

However, this option has been discontinued and access to the lounge is now, as usual, restricted to Business Class passengers or holders of higher loyalty programme statuses with Star Alliance airlines.