The first direct flight of Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network of airlines in Africa, to Pakistan’s major city Karachi after 19 years landed at the Jinnah International Airport at the scheduled time this morning, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the delegation Greet the flight at the terminal.
Provincial Ministers Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Shah, Ikramullah Dharijo and Murtaza Wahab were also accompanying the Chief Minister.
In the first flight from Addid Ababa to Karachi, 110 passengers including the State Minister of Ethiopia, three Ministers of State, senior officers of their ministries, diplomats and trade delegation arrived in Karachi.
Ethiopia first started direct flights to Karachi in July 1966 which continued until December 1971, after which the service continued again from June 1993 to July 2004.
According to aviation sources, this series has started for the third time after almost two decades today from May 9.
Ethiopian Airlines has used brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft for this flight of approximately 4 hours 25 minutes duration.
The first direct flight to Karachi, ET 694, departed from Addis Ababa with a delay of 52 minutes, but the flight landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 5:40 a.m. one minute before the scheduled time.
The same aircraft is departing Addis Ababa as flight ET 695, Ethiopian Airlines will operate 4 weekly flights from Addis Ababa to Karachi.
The Ethiopian ambassador to Pakistan, Jamal Baker, while holding a press conference in Karachi yesterday, said that direct flights would promote trade and tourism between Ethiopia and Pakistan.
He thanked the Government of Pakistan for playing a key role in restoring air connectivity.
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