Ethiopian Airlines vs Kenya Airways vs SAA
The African aviation market has seen plenty of change in the past years. As South African Airways’ situation has worsened, that of Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways has improved. The two have battled to become the leading hub in East Africa. Ethiopian Airlines has moved ahead now, but this was not always the case. This article looks at this battle through the story of each of the three airlines.
South African Airways stands out historically as one of the oldest airlines in Africa, and a leading international carrier. It has suffered setbacks, though, first with apartheid and later financial problems. It is currently grounded, with uncertainty over when it will get back in the air.
Meanwhile, other airlines not facing these problems have expanded much faster. Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines stand out, with rapid expansion and growing international connections. The past decade has seen something of a battle between the pair to grow as African hub-based airlines. Both these airlines launched ambitious plans after the financial crisis of 2007 to 2008 but with different levels of success.
Data for the year to May 2019 shows the following passenger numbers for each airline (as reported by Routesonline). The situation has worsened, of course, since then, especially for South African Airways.
- Ethiopian Airlines – 13.3 million passengers (top operator in Africa)
- Kenya Airways – 4.9 million passengers (sixth place in Africa)
- South African Airways – 4.6 million passengers (seventh place)
Going back to 2010, however, paints a very different picture. At that time, South African Airways was flying eight million passengers, and Ethiopian Airlines just over three million.
