Eritrean Airlines takes off next month

The maiden flight of the newly-launched Eritrean Airlines is due to depart from Asmara on 15 April, bound for Frankfurt in Germany. "The date has been firmly established and we've been advertising it, and we'll continue to do so for the next three to four weeks," said Mebrahtu Habte, executive director of marketing and one of the airline's acting CEOs. Eritrean Airlines is a government-financed endeavour established in May 1991. It has so far remained an airline in name only however, serving as the only ground handling agent at Asmara International Airport and at Assab. The airline has also served as a sales agent for other major carriers which fly to the country, including Lufthansa and British Airways. The expansion of the company's operations to flights was decided at a workshop held in Asmara last May, at which the government agreed to provide increased financing for the lease or purchase of two planes. The government also pledged it would ultimately privatise the endeavour in "a few years' time", Mebrahtu told IRIN. The first commercial aircraft, a Boeing 767-300, is scheduled to arrive in the country by 3 April. The 217-seater is being leased with the option of purchase from the manufacturer. A second aircraft, a Boeing 757, will be purchased directly from Boeing before June. By the end of the year, officials at Eritrean Airlines say they hope to be running eight flights a week to Europe and at least six flights a week to destinations in the Middle East and Africa. "People are excited, especially the ones outside the country," Mebrahtu said. "There is a great euphoria. It's long overdue." He said there had been no criticism of the timing of the government's decision to expand its airline operations. Eritrea is currently facing the worst drought since independence. "Even for the drought, you have to have means of transport [for food], so it's part of the solution to the problem," Mebrahtu noted. According to the ruling party's Shaebia website, the first phase of Eritrean Airlines' flight itinerary will consist of round trips from Asmara to Nairobi, Rome, Frankfurt and Amsterdam with more destinations to be added in the near future.