Tibor Nagy Praises Ethiopian Airlines’ Strategic Model

Addis Ababa, September 14, 2026 (ENA) —Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy has praised Ethiopian Airlines as an institution that has maintained strategic discipline, technical standards and operational professionalism over decades.

Speaking about the airline’s rise and its distinctive position on the continent, Nagy said its success was not simply the result of being state-owned, but of functioning with the discipline and independence of a private corporation.

He told POA that the airline’s investment in technical capacity and training as key to its reputation.

“So Ethiopian Airlines has thought strategically. They have maintained their standards. They have very high technical capabilities. European airlines send their pilots to Addis Ababa to train in their simulators. Their mechanics are among the best in the world.

So I always tell people, you know, if I ever have a choice and if Ethiopian Airlines is flying, I will always take Ethiopian Airlines. I don’t care what other airline is flying.”

 

Nagy said the airline’s professionalism was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when international air travel was severely disrupted.

He recalled that, while serving as Washington’s top Africa official, the United States relied on Ethiopian Airlines to move American citizens across the continent because the carrier continued operating when many others had stopped flying.

“I was Assistant Secretary of State for Africa during COVID, and we depended on renting Ethiopian Airlines aircraft to go around Africa to pick up American citizens, because they were reliable. They were flying when other airlines were not flying.”

Nagy also welcomed Ethiopia’s plans for a new airport at Bishoftu, describing the project as both visionary and necessary as Addis Ababa continues to expand its role as a major African aviation and economic hub.

He said the capital’s high altitude places operational limitations on some aircraft, making an additional aviation hub strategically important.

 

“But the Bishoftu airport, again, that is pioneering. It is visionary. And I believe it is absolutely needed. Addis Ababa is a huge crossroads of Africa. You have the African Union there, you have a huge population, you have industrialisation, you have investments. But Addis has limitations because of the high altitude. You can’t take all kinds of aircraft there. There are certain aircraft that cannot land and take off there. So Bishoftu makes sense.”

Nagy’s assessment places Ethiopian Airlines within a broader story of institutional resilience and long-term investment, as Ethiopia seeks to reinforce its position as a continental aviation hub.

He said the combination of technical expertise, strategic management and infrastructure development could further strengthen that role as the country’s economy and international connections continue to grow.

 

Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is a true African success story, transforming a visionary dream into a globally renowned reality for nearly eight decades.

Operating flights to more than 160 domestic and international passenger, and cargo destinations across five continents, Ethiopian bridges the gaps between Africa and the world.