Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines marked International Women’s Day by operating eight flights staffed entirely by women, highlighting female participation across multiple aviation professions and celebrating the airline’s 80 years of service since 1946.
The Africa-based carrier announced the initiative during a ceremony held on 7 March 2026 at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, attended by government officials, airline executives, women leaders and employees from across the airline’s divisions. The special flights departed on 8 March to Cairo, Djibouti, Nairobi, Frankfurt, Accra, Mumbai, Windhoek and Dire Dawa, with every operational role performed by women.
According to the airline, the flights were handled entirely by female aviation professionals including pilots, cabin crew, aircraft technicians, engineers, dispatchers and ground staff, demonstrating the growing presence of women in roles traditionally dominated by men in the aviation sector.
Speaking during the celebrations, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew said the initiative reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to gender inclusion across operational and leadership positions.
“Ethiopian Airlines has consistently led the way in advancing women’s participation across all areas of its business, empowering women to thrive in roles including those traditionally dominated by men,” Tasew said.
The eight flights were also symbolic, representing eight decades of Ethiopian Airlines’ operations, which began in 1946 with the airline’s first scheduled international service to Cairo.
Women currently account for around 40% of the airline group’s workforce, serving in various technical, operational and managerial roles. The airline said the International Women’s Day flights have become an annual tradition since 2015, aimed at recognizing women’s achievements in aviation and encouraging more women and girls to pursue careers in the industry.
Headquartered at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s largest airline group, operating more than 160 passenger and cargo destinations worldwide with a modern fleet that includes Boeing 737, 777 and 787 aircraft as well as Airbus A350 models.
The airline said the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to promote diversity and equal opportunity across the aviation sector while inspiring future generations of women to join technical and leadership roles in the industry.
