Careers continue to expand their African network.
Victor Shallton
Etihad Airways has significantly increased its Africa presence and has significantly boosted Nairobi Services. Starting December 15th, the airline will double flights between Abu Dhabi and Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, increasing its current daily schedule to twice-per-day operations.
This development was delayed from its initially planned debut in May of that year following the successful reboot of the route in December 2024. The first flight on December 15th was fully booked.
Alik De, Etihad's chief income and commercial officer, commented: “Etihad has long recognized the need to strengthen its presence in Africa. Encouraged by positive early results, we announce the expansion of Nairobi Services to 14 flights and are pleased to announce the increase in Seychelles services to one week flight in the city of patients in the Airshen partnership, Johannesburg.”
Etihad's Nairobi services have been suspended since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline originally planned to resume flights on September 1st, but the renewal was postponed several times and finally resumed on December 15th, with daily Airbus A320 services offering both business and economy cabins.
Beyond Nairobi, Etihad currently operates in four African destinations: Cairo, Casablanca, Johannesburg and the Seychelles. However, according to the airline's latest schedule update, the Abu Dhabi and Seychel routes will be cancelled on May 22, 2025. Air Seychelles will take over the route from May 23rd and operate six flights per week on the Airbus A320neo except on Thursday (from Seychelles) and Friday (from Abu Dhabi).
Etihad no longer flies directly to the Seychelles, but will remain present through a codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles announced in December 2024. This arrangement ensures continuity of service and connections even after Etihad leaves the route.
In addition to expanding services to Nairobi, Etihad plans to launch four new African destinations. Daily flights to Addis Ababa will begin on October 8, 2025 as part of a joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines.
The airline also began flying to Algiers on November 7th, offering four services each week. Starting November 1st, I'll be flying three times a week to Tunis. And it will be in the Egyptian resort town of Al Alamein with a seasonal service that operates twice a week between July 17th and September 14th.
Commenting on these developments, Alik De said, “Along with the groundbreaking relationship between Air Seychelles and Ethiopian Airlines, these strategic partnerships highlight our growing commitment to serving the dynamic continent by adding four new direct routes from Abu Dhabi to Africa this year.”
Victor Sharton's love for aviation can be traced when he was 11 years old. As an experienced aviation writer, he prides himself on providing the best aviation compensation in the world and is passionate about improving his skills in the aviation field. Plus, he loves travel, writing and art, and is proud to call Nairobi home while his talkable engagement takes him all over the world.
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