In a festive interview celebrating the Ethiopian New Year, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tassew reflects on his childhood roots, career journey, and the strategic milestones driving Africa’s largest carrier forward
By Borkena Desk
(TORONTO, Canada) — Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tassew welcomed a media team to the airline’s headquarters in Addis Ababa to mark the Ethiopian New Year. Dressed in traditional Ethiopian attire, he was greeted outside his office by a cultural troupe singing the traditional New Year song, Abebayesh Hoy, before heading inside to an office decorated for the holiday complete with Defo Dabo and a traditional coffee ceremony served in a traditional way by Ethiopian Airlines staff.
Reflecting on the holiday spirit during the interview, Mesfin shared without hesitation that the Ethiopian New Year remains his favorite holiday. Recalling his childhood, he attributed his fondness to two primary factors: the unique environmental transformation following the rainy months of July and August, and the excitement of returning to school.
“After two months, we get to see our school friends,” he noted, emphasizing that September brings vibrant greenery, bright sunshine, and a renewed landscape. He added that the holiday serves as an essential time for personal reflection on the past and strategic planning for the year ahead. True to cultural traditions in Ethiopia, the CEO maintains a strong commitment to celebrating the holiday alongside his immediate family and visiting his parents.
From Childhood Aspirations to Aviation Leadership
Discussing his professional trajectory—spanning over four decades at the national carrier—Mesfin revealed that joining aviation was not part of his original plan. Growing up, his childhood aspiration was to become a teacher to lead a respected life like the educators in his hometown.
Recognized as an exceptional student starting from Grade 8, he later entered the Faculty of Engineering at Addis Ababa University, graduating with great distinction and receiving a Gold Medal from then-President Mengistu Hailemariam. He initially joined Ethiopian Airlines as an Assistant Engineer in the maintenance department, intending to eventually return to academia as a university lecturer. However, he admitted that the dynamic nature of the work at the airline captivated him.
“I did not think that I would stay, but the work was interesting,” he remarked, rising steadily through technical and managerial ranks before assuming the role of Group CEO.
Scaling New Heights: Inside Africa’s Largest Carrier
Under Mesfin’s leadership over the past four years, Ethiopian Airlines has solidified its position as the premier aviation giant on the continent. Detailing the metrics behind this status, he pointed to the airline’s expansive fleet of over 148 aircraft connecting more than 140 global destinations, including 62 cities across Africa. By comparison, major regional competitors like Turkish Airlines serve roughly 50 destinations on the continent.
The airline’s operational scale is further underscored by its robust financial performance, having transported 21 million passengers during the past fiscal year and employing a workforce exceeding 20,000 people.
Looking ahead, Mesfin highlighted two transformative capital projects currently underway:
- Bishoftu International Airport: A mega-airport project slated for completion in four years, designed with four times the passenger capacity of Bole International Airport to sustain the airline’s growth trajectory over the next three to four decades.
- Employee Housing Initiative: A dedicated housing project for 5,000 airline employees scheduled to reach completion within the year.
Addressing the airline’s continuous expansion, Mesfin noted that growth has occasionally faced external setbacks, citing regional geopolitical instability and oil supply disruptions as historical hurdles that the carrier has successfully navigated. While he did not elaborate on specific operational details during the interview, the airline maintains a contingency strategic framework designed for crisis management. For instance, during heightened Iran-Israel/United States conflicts in the Middle East, the carrier faced operational disruptions involving the cancellation of over 100 flights weekly and financial losses exceeding $137 million. Management mitigated these impacts by rapidly pivoting to alternative cargo and passenger routes to minimize losses.
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