The seating design might not be perfect, but that’s on Boeing, not Ethiopian Airlines. When it comes to flying in Africa, what better option do you have? 😂 Ethiopian Airlines is unmatched it’s the best on the continent, offering reliability, exceptional service, and unbeatable prices. In fact, it even outshines some US and European airlines in value and hospitality. Gabe, I’m glad you made it home safely and on schedule! Your sense of fun and curiosity made this review even more engaging. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the injera hopefully, we’ll see you in Addis Ababa soon to fully immerse yourself in the incredible world of Ethiopian cuisine
The seat design is 100% Ethiopian's fault. Boeing and Airbus don't make seats. Airlines choose what they want from seat manufacturers, and also choose how well to maintain them.
The airlines are the ones who choose the type of seats installed in their airplanes and airlines are also the ones who are supposed to retrofit their seats after eight years of service, Ethiopian Airlines needs to do the same for the sake of consistency.
@@prfarlow @eyob797 Agreed, but in the case of Ethiopian Airlines, it’s important to note that some of their 787s are leased, not directly ordered. These aircraft come with pre installed configurations chosen by the lessor, not the airline. Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines has acquired some 787s that were originally canceled orders from other airlines planes that were ready to fly but may not have been fully customized to Ethiopian’s standards. As for retrofitting, I completely agreed 👍
Seating is entirely on Ethiopian Airlines. Like others have mentioned, the airlines choose seats, and even if they are leasing aircraft, they are doing so with knowledge of how their planes will be configured. From an objective standpoint, a lot of the cabins on Ethiopian suck point blank, and Boeing has nothing to do with it.
I absolutely love Ethiopian Ailines, all my flights with Ethiopian Ailines has always been super amazing, Ethiopian is always my first choice to fly anywhere in the world 🌍 they have the best connection and network around the world. Thank you for sharing.
About the transfer in Addis: If you arrived in a bus gate, it's actually your lucky day because typically there is a DIRECT bus from parking stand to the connecting flight if the transfer is tight, bypassing the entire airport security. When you step down the stairs inform the agent and he/she will guide to the right bus. I had the similar situation where my original flight only had a 35 minute transfer in Addis, which got delayed and arrived only 15 minutes before the departure of next flight (in fact, the destination was Cape Town). There already were various buses lined up for different connecting flights, and myself and a few others hopped on the right bus which just took five minutes to the next plane. Impressive. What even surprised me more was that the checked-in bag actually made it all the way! Watching your video till the end at least your bag arrived, so they deserve a bit of credit for that. I took three business class flights with Ethiopian and all of them were very pleasant, if not the seat being uncompetitive. Economy is a different story though, the crew really seem to distinguish their attitude between the two cabins lol.
Very interesting, I had no idea about that with the bus transfers! Never seen that anywhere else in the world. And yes good point, it was kind of a miracle that the bag made it haha.
Dear Gabe , your frustration is coming from the fact that Ethiopian Airlines has all the potential to be a global airline due to their new fleet and massive network in Africa , however lacking consistency in their service and keeping up with the latest seat standards in business is preventing them from being so . Usually people wont complain if prices are very low , however that shouldn’t be the case anyway. Thanks for highlighting this concern here .
I am from France and Madagascar. And to be honest I am so proud of what Ethiopian Airlines has achieved. Finally an African company at a big scale and far better than the other African Airlines. Yes, it’s not perfect from our spoilt western point of view, but from a local point of view (lack of riguor, they don’t have the same comfort level in their personnal life, they don’t have the «codes ») and despite that they developed So agree they are not the best, but if you know the reality of Africa, you’ll see how extraordinary they are For comparison in Madagascar our 6 planes no longer fly abroad, you can expect bugs on the place and days of delay So not afraid to say that I am proud of Ethiopian Airlines
I definitely think that they are doing better than a lot of Africa, but I am interested to see how this will be over time. I would say right now Ethiopian is somewhere in the "mediocre" category. If they want to take market share from the airlines in the UAE and Qatar, they are going to have to step it up. If they want to just be a bit better than other airlines in Africa, then they can keep it up. For someone like me, who was transiting through, I am not encouraged to bring my business back when I could easily and more comfortably fly on KLM, BA, or even LH.
@@airedition The premium segment is not ET's main target market. That is the reason it doesn't even have premium economy offering (nor does it plan to introduce it in the near future). Its target customer is either the business traveler to or from Africa who is looking for a reliable service or the cost conscious leisure traveler. The product is designed for the target market with focus on cost leadership. The ME3 decided to target Africa but they haven't been successful and now TK is aggressively targeting the continent (with much better strategy than the ME3). Having said that, however, ET will need to remain competitive, especially with its ambition to become a hub for east-west connection. The older 787s are in badly need of a cabin retrofit and the process has started with Adient but it will take time. The 777 fleet also needs a retrofit (more than the 787s) but not sure if they are part of the retrofit program.
Hands down the best youtuber out there, The man is always honest, tactfull and a great guy. ET looks mediocre, i don't understand the fuss around being "the best in Africa" Other airlines like South African Airways are outstanding. Keep on with this excellent footage Gabriel !!
Having flown ET in Y (and because of ET my subscribers on RUclips have soared 😊) I don't understand why Ethiopian does not offer any Ethiopian dishes on its flights. While I stayed at one of its hotels in the stopover the hotel had a nice dish of rice, cabbage, meat and fries (Is that local to Ethiopia?). Heard so much of Injera but never had it. Will need to find an Ethiopian restaurant here in Toronto. I salivated watching you enjoy your injera 😉 Gabe great video, you have a right to your own opinion on your videos however I found ET good in Y. It seemed no different than EY or TK, the FAs are there to take care of you and serve you and the airline gets you from A to B. However EK in Y cannot be compared with the food and Ice entertainment. The FAs can sometimes be sub par in comparison to ET, EY and TK. I guess in J it's different when you are paying so much more. Loved the Thai FAs in GF and WY Business Class. So dedicated 👍
Lovely video as always. A bunch of haters here in the comments but I love your honesty and it makes the videos better. Happy you made your connection, I was getting nervous watching. 😅
Let me tell one thing, if you book ethiopian airlines,always do it for a night departure flight, cause it is not delayed and also best at most service will be provided during the night flight time. But day time flights are disastrous
as an ethiopian who worked at the airline before and watched its amazing growth every year.i think it reached to its peak and dont have the motivation to grow to next level anymore because why would they they have a monopoly in africa, they make huge revenue every year, they are in the comfort zone. they need a competition something that will wake them up and fire them to reach the next level. Because i am seeing a lot of complaints recently.
For the sake of consistency Ethiopian Airlines needs to retrofit the seat on its older planes immediately. Choosing the best seats in the airline industry also matters.
I think this is a really good and interesting point. Thanks for your thoughts. We need another big African carrier that aspires to excellence. But who will it be??
@eyob797 True. But I would settle for a decent, well-maintained seat that is consistent across the fleet. Doesn't even have to have a lot of bells and whistles or the latest tech!
Watching your videos whenever they come out is always such a productive and quality time spent. How was your transit experience in Addis compared to Heathrow or another hub like Paris CDG ? I can't imagine that it would even be possible to catch a transit flight in just 12min to 15min in LHR, glad you made it. Where would you rank Ethiopian Airlines in Africa excluding the connectivity criteria ? Just on the hard product, soft product and price to value ratio ? Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and Air Mauritius are the top 3 airlines in Africa, how would you rank them ? You gotta try Air Seychelles and Air Austral as well from Reunion island, although their business class still operates a 2-2-2 configuration. I am honestly surprised that Ethiopian airline is that underwhelming though, although I should not since African countries in general have poor management due to political corruption. SAA was the king in Africa at one point in time and are now trying to recover from bankruptcy 🤦♂
Kind of a lame generalization of African political corruption. How is Ethiopian Airlines which is 100% government & state owned to be profitable, successful & still growing if this African country is politically corrupt??
@@azizyasin6734He doesn’t know. It’s just another bitter westerner who’s upset that Ethiopian Airlines outshines his dingy, downtrodden western counterparts. You know, Westerners are easily triggered folks. They foam at the mouth when it comes to seeing nations as Ethiopia shine meanwhile their own western countries are toppling into misery, homelessness, bankruptcy, etc., If a Westerner is hating - that means you’re winning 😅
@@bellaxo1597 Dude chill, I am also from Africa. I only said Ethiopian airlines is underwhelming, did I say anywhere that it was horrible or garbage ? Except for connectivity, it's a fact that Ethiopian Airlines does not look that impressive. I think Air Mauritius and Air Austral have better hard and soft product. My standards are Asian and middle-eastern airlines by the way. With the exception of Air France, most european airlines are average and I think Ethiopian Airlines offer a better product than most of them. Learn some humility and how to take constructive feedbacks while not getting triggered just because someone is giving you a reality check
Bellaxo seems to get very upset when his airline gets criticized as this is not the only comment he's left here spouting vitriol at the west and/or America (not sure what that has to do with anything). Maybe he was just having a bad couple of days, who knows. But to answer you @theshieldhero7062 I would rank them 1) Air Mauritius 2) SAA and 3) ET. The only issue with SAA now is how limited their network is, but I think they offer a fantastic onboard product and could take the #1 spot if they can grow again in a sustainable way. Very interested to try Seychelles and Austral too! Also curious about KQ.
I flew them ARN-ADD-NBO a few years ago on a biz trip. A lot of the disappointment comes from the expectations. Calling biz class Cloud Nine with "elaborated inflight service with warm Ethiopian hospitality" and much other lofty language vs angled and terrribly uncomfortable seat, awful Western inspired food and a crew who were indifferent at best and mostly just disappeared to the galley (one drink service outside of meals on the long hauls). Lounges also not up to par. I've never flown with them again.
A bit touchy about comments on the last video, I see. This review doesn't actually lack the balance the previous one did. It's easy to see from the cuts and edits that you're desperately searching for points to trash the airline with and keep reappearing on camera to spout them. 99% of your 'dreadful' experience is off camera so you are expecting us to take your word for those. But, that's asking a lot of us- what with that tone of delivery and condescension. I remember Josh doing a very critical review during COVID and vowing never to get back on Ethiopian again and imploring his much larger audience to do the same; only to scamper back on board for another review last year. I do have to say I feel gutted for the cabin crew who work hard and do their best to look after you and yet they get a good bashing behind their backs for their efforts. The airline will keep going from strength to strength without Gabe and you won't have to constantly moan about Ethiopian not trying hard enough to impress you or "convert" you.
100%. He’s just another bitter Westerner who’s triggered that Ethiopia is rising into prominence while his own nation is devolving into bankruptcy, homelessness, social issues and the likes. They say, when a westerner is triggered and is looking for problems, that’s how you know you’re winning 😂
@@teztad1263 you actually did say I'm not telling the truth though. You said many of my complaints happen off camera, and you can't take my word for that. So you're saying I've made up my criticisms about the service quality and the handling of the delay. Meanwhile how do you know the flight attendants did their best, were you working this flight?? And the 'behind their backs' comment is especially strange. You'd have preferred that I stick a camera in their face and confront them live? That would seem a lot less respectful to me. I said in future I would avoid them at almost all costs unless the cost was significantly lower, then I might consider it. I think this is a very fair take given the overall value proposition, which for me isn't good enough. If you disagree that's fine. But if you focused on making cogent points instead of being needlessly aggressive, maybe we could have had a useful discussion about what exactly you find hard to believe here. As things stand you just end up sounding like someone who can't stand to hear criticism (there are quite a few of you who have this problem when I criticize ET in particular!). I have to assume you work for the airline. But in the end if going from strength to strength means continuing to have angled seats in business class on a good portion of the fleet, then I'm glad they'll be doing it without me! Thank you @nuurehagi418 for weighing in.
@@airedition I'd have loved to be thanked for my observational feedback too. Remember Gabe, negativity breeds more negativity and when it comes to criticism, those that dish it out should be humble enough to take it. Just to clarify a few points; I'll say it again, everything you said may be true. Just that the manner of presentation that's uniquely apparent here than any of your other videos makes it all slightly hard to swallow. I'm sure you didn't mean to put words in my mouth. The good thing about all this is, we have another review about the new Ethiopian A35K from Patrick Shea, people will get a much clearer picture of the product by watching both videos. Magic of RUclips! I'd never accuse you of being judgmental but I never worked in the airline industry. I do travel a lot, however; and Ryanair, Emirates, Ethiopian, and Air India were my most used carriers last year. I was very pleased with your enthusiastic AI review a few weeks back, even though they lost my luggage and gave me food poisoning the last time I flew them in September. Of course, I'll fly them again but will probably skip their onboard meal for now. When it comes to ET, they've got their fair share of CS issues they need to sort out, especially on the ground. As I stated in the last video, your first experience with them on FR24 is decidedly lamentable. I've had a few flights like that with them but I take it for what it is. Ethiopian is a utilitarian airline. It is there to serve a purpose and make as much money as possible while doing so. They have been doing it for much longer than most carriers in the world and they can quickly adapt and diversify their business model when needed as we saw during COVID with cargo conversions and opening their own luxury hotels. ET would be mortified to be compared with QR, EK or the likes because that is not their model. For starters, they don't enjoy the obscene and unsustainable fuel and catering subsidies ME carriers do. As my close mate who is area manager for Turkish tells me, they are spoiling it for everyone by setting unrealistic expectations among passengers from other airlines. So, when you keep using phraseology like "they try to be" or "they want to be"... Ethiopian is exactly were it wants to be and is robust enough to shift quickly if it needs to. When I say ET has been going from strength to strength, its based on the numbers. However, that doesn't mean just leaving everything where it is. With a bit of research you would have been able to discover that they have indeed started upgrading older cabins from last month. Thank you for taking the time to reply at length! I have been a fan of both you and FR24 from the get-go.
I see this all the time in developing countries. Quite often the cabin crew positions go to bored, uninterested progeny of some government official. They want the pay and travel, but not the work.
Consistency is very important for airlines, Ethiopian Airlines needs to retrofit the seats of its older airplanes immediately, the new ones have modern seats. The schedules of Ethiopian Airlines also seems to be very tight, it would be great if there is at least three hours layover at the airport so that passengers will have ample time to connect, there will be no need to "hurry up".
Yep very good point, I agree the consistency is key. If you don't have consistent seats, then you'd better have a very superb and very consistent soft product. Qatar Airways manages this. And it's also an interesting point about their connections. Great to have a 1.5 hour connect if everything goes to plan, but if there's any delay all of a sudden it becomes stressful.
Funny how you're actually projecting here. The fact that you and your weird army of pro-ET commenters can't stand to hear anything bad said about ET and launch these defensive attacks in the comments section; have you thought about that? I'm not sure how many of you work at the airline (I'd guess a fair amount) but airlines (or cultures in general) where the first move is to deny criticism, and turn it back around in attacks on the critic to deflect, have got it all backwards. It's the classic mark of a closed society, or group, or company. Those kinds of environments, whether companies or societies at large, tend to rot from the inside over time. I get angry when people (like you) claim that I have not actually reviewed the airline in good faith, but instead am "acting out of spite", "complaining", "being bitter because of x or y", and accuse me of acting with an agenda of some kind or somehow twisting the truth. There is a consequence to slinging accusations like that here, I'm not just going to take that lying down - I'm going to get angry at you and tell you why you're wrong. It's also irritating when people come in here to say "Ethiopian is amazing and you're just a hater", ignoring the fact that ET is objectively inferior in many respects to its competition. Even if it were JUST the angled flat seats in business, that would be enough. The people with half a brain who watched this see that this is mostly very constructive criticism, that there is plenty that is good enough but also that there are areas for improvement that would elevate ET. And I would love nothing more than to see them improve and succeed even more.
@airedition So now we are a "Rotten society". First of all i did not totaly disagree on your take i was just commenting on how you handled the people (audience) who didn't believe or who thought your video came from a place of "◉ supermacy". And i did not agree with them at first, but seeing how you responded to an individual like me by collectively insulting and calling the entire society "ROTTEN" may be they have a point🤔. you should honestly make some time and think about this.Bytheway I don't work for ET, for your information I am an Architect.
I'm going to leave this comment here only for other people to see how diabolical it is that some people think this way. I published a review of an airline, that's it.
Is this an attempt at a snarky comment gone wrong? My name is compliment? Hi again by the way, I remember you from the A350 video. Thanks for coming back to chime in!
@@ethio_apartements friend, I'm not complaining. I'm reviewing the service they offer. This means pointing out both good and bad. Please understand the difference.
The way you talk about Ethiopian Airlines seems more personal than professional. Could this be jealousy speaking? Your critique says more about you than it does about Ethiopian Airlines. For someone so critical, you seem to have mastered the art of seeing the worst in everything. Have you considered giving optimism a try? Get a life my boy😅
You know how ferenji are. They are jealous when any non-western nation does well. He’s simply mad his own country has ghettos and crime uncontained and rising homelessness. 😂 Pray for him. That’s all you can do for the bitter westerners.
Out of curiosity what could I possibly be jealous about? I don't own/operate a competitor airline to Ethiopian, I am just a consumer informing other consumers about what they can expect with these products. You will find in my other videos that I actually am quite optimistic, but when a product is lacking and disappointing I will discuss that. If it is too critical for you then I apologize but that's my style.
Maybe, but you won't hear me whining about a flight on Qatar or even SAS. If Ethiopian strives to really become a top tier airline, then they have a lot of work to do because the gap between the likes of Qatar and Etihad and Ethiopian is vast.
OUCH😩!! You were not a happy bunny Gabe 😢. It's not to be taken as an excuse, but their 'approach' is likely cultural. Ethiopian is trying to be global name, so will need to address these challenges quickly.
If they simply put a consistent seat into their entire 787 flat that includes zero angled flat seats, and then expanded the offering of injera to more flights, they'd be 50% of the way there if you ask me!
It’s not hard to tell when you are annoyed. You do manage to put up with a fair amount of crap and it seems that the cumulative effect of the little things tips the scales into the negative category. As one airline that I fly frequently likes to point out “we realize that you have many choices “. Your itinerary from ARN-CPT on one carrier limited you to ET, KL/AF, BA, LH and was probably the cheapest option in J class of the carriers mentioned. I am guessing that unless you find a real bargain, you won’t go out of your way to fly them again. The ADD airport is (or can be) a real mess which is a major turn off. In the spirit of presenting a good review, you limited your criticism of the terminal which seemed to bring the overall experience up a notch.
I flew into Boston. Entire airport reeks of colonial old defecation, cigarettes, and moldy coffee. An absolute mess. America is the third world country now. Sorry you didn’t catch the memo, David. Please ask your lawmakers and congress to consider clearing out the homeless encampments too, would be lovely if they could get a handle on crime. Oh, and would be great if they could also tell American domestic flights to ensure that their engines stop lighting on fire midway through the flights. Oh wait! The American government can’t do that. They’re too busy trying to ban TikTok…and they’re bankrupt. Plus they’re far too occupied with ensuring that Californians are left without any home insurance to cover their losses post-fires. Goodness, America and its inability to contain their airports and ensure a standard of cleanliness and security. What a third world country it is. Maybe they’ll take a page out of ADD and Ethiopian Airlines and maintain cleanliness and orderliness…probably not though, because America is broke and corrupt.
that is simply incorrect all Ethiopian 787-9 airliners have 1-2-1 business class seat configuration. all 787-8s have 2-2-2 config. there's no 787-9 with 2-2-2 config.
@Jake-re2sd judging by your comment, you are either A, use ET all the time during your travels or B. You work for Ethiopian and you know your aircrafts
@@gpierre90 you are right, i always fly with ET because they’re the best and also my country’s flag carrier. And i know all about their aircrafts (from the de havilland q400 to a350-1000). I left this comment because the guy said some of the 787-9s have a 2-2-2 business seat config and thats incorrect. I wanted to correct him.
At this point my man has stopped reviewing ET and is just making negative videos out of spite to get back at the people who criticized(didn't like) his last "Review" about ET 😂😂😂
Little did I know there’s an army of delusional people who will defend ET’s failings no matter what the evidence shows! And also attack me personally while they’re at it. What a nasty vibe you all have. Quite an eye-opener. Keep in mind that everything on camera here was recorded before either of these were published. So how could the negative take be out of spite against the first video’s comments? Not to mention that half the commenters on both videos fully agree with me (because it’s all true)! In other words your hope to pin this all on spite is not gonna stick.
@@aireditionwhat evidence are you talking about this is not a court room 😂😂😂 you showed and talked about your flight experience about ET good,,,,......NOW we are talking and commenting about our experience watching your videos so why are you attacking and insulting us just because we didn't believe you??? 😁why?
Oh no, an American whose triggered Ethiopian Airlines is actually better but has to hide his envy and jealousy by meaningless critiques that are applicable to every single airlines carrier internationally. Ah. This is why your folks age fast! Bitterness runs in your veins since the inception of time. Ethiopian Airlines will continue to prosper and rise above your budget. That way you can stick with your Spirit Airlines as you deserve. 😊
Here u go again complaining over something very minor and which beyond the ER level to deal with....i think u don't need to drink water anymore cuz your mind is a full of water.
Glad the government is prioritizing poverty, not a "superb" airline. ET is where it should be at any given time, providing the product Africa wants now. The same QR flight would cost a lot, lot more.
That's a fair point, and if ET works for people that's great. I think overall the airline is a fantastic thing for Ethiopia and for Africa. My review is in the context of the competitive landscape that is premium tickets between Europe and Africa/Asia though, so I'm looking at them accordingly and imagining how they could be better. Thing is, QR flights are not necessarily much more expensive, depending on your origin city. For example on random dates in February Stockholm to Johannesburg on ET is $2500, on QR $2900. If that's the choice I'm definitely going with QR!
@airedition well, OSL/ARN is a direct flight, QR needs a stopover. You always pay a premium for that. On the other hand, I've seen ET biz.from OSL at 35k+, too... ET has a lot.of room to.improve, no doubt. Their home grown strategy is a long game. Let's revisit in a few years and see what happened.
Hmm, Whatever! not a real review, maybe personal opinion/s and more in line with a critism. Maybe do a comparison to the US airlines.... or cheap Euro airlines....
Whatever yourself. A comparison with US or cheap euro airlines would be irrelevant because they’re not competing for the same business. And of course there’s going to be personal opinion in a RUclips review of an airline. At the same time, many of my criticisms are based on objective fact. The poor quality of many of the business seats. The lack of communications about delays. Etc.
Great review I fly fairly often and tend to stick to Qatar Singapore Airlines Turkish & Virgin sometimes, I was considering Ethiopian for a flight LHR-CPT which I do about twice each year, but watching your review which is very much fact!! I will pay a bit extra and stick with either Qatar or Turkish 😀 Thanks for the insight..
The seating design might not be perfect, but that’s on Boeing, not Ethiopian Airlines. When it comes to flying in Africa, what better option do you have? 😂 Ethiopian Airlines is unmatched it’s the best on the continent, offering reliability, exceptional service, and unbeatable prices. In fact, it even outshines some US and European airlines in value and hospitality. Gabe, I’m glad you made it home safely and on schedule! Your sense of fun and curiosity made this review even more engaging. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the injera hopefully, we’ll see you in Addis Ababa soon to fully immerse yourself in the incredible world of Ethiopian cuisine
The seat design is 100% Ethiopian's fault. Boeing and Airbus don't make seats. Airlines choose what they want from seat manufacturers, and also choose how well to maintain them.
The airlines are the ones who choose the type of seats installed in their airplanes and airlines are also the ones who are supposed to retrofit their seats after eight years of service, Ethiopian Airlines needs to do the same for the sake of consistency.
@@prfarlow @eyob797 Agreed, but in the case of Ethiopian Airlines, it’s important to note that some of their 787s are leased, not directly ordered. These aircraft come with pre installed configurations chosen by the lessor, not the airline. Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines has acquired some 787s that were originally canceled orders from other airlines planes that were ready to fly but may not have been fully customized to Ethiopian’s standards.
As for retrofitting, I completely agreed 👍
Seating is entirely on Ethiopian Airlines. Like others have mentioned, the airlines choose seats, and even if they are leasing aircraft, they are doing so with knowledge of how their planes will be configured. From an objective standpoint, a lot of the cabins on Ethiopian suck point blank, and Boeing has nothing to do with it.
Gabe is not even in peace with his own chosen glasses for 7 years, let alone foreign airlines😂😂😂
Gabe, as always: fair, balanced, truthful.
Thank you Roger!
I absolutely love Ethiopian Ailines, all my flights with Ethiopian Ailines has always been super amazing, Ethiopian is always my first choice to fly anywhere in the world 🌍 they have the best connection and network around the world. Thank you for sharing.
Can't say I agree, but thank you for watching!
About the transfer in Addis:
If you arrived in a bus gate, it's actually your lucky day because typically there is a DIRECT bus from parking stand to the connecting flight if the transfer is tight, bypassing the entire airport security. When you step down the stairs inform the agent and he/she will guide to the right bus.
I had the similar situation where my original flight only had a 35 minute transfer in Addis, which got delayed and arrived only 15 minutes before the departure of next flight (in fact, the destination was Cape Town). There already were various buses lined up for different connecting flights, and myself and a few others hopped on the right bus which just took five minutes to the next plane. Impressive. What even surprised me more was that the checked-in bag actually made it all the way! Watching your video till the end at least your bag arrived, so they deserve a bit of credit for that.
I took three business class flights with Ethiopian and all of them were very pleasant, if not the seat being uncompetitive. Economy is a different story though, the crew really seem to distinguish their attitude between the two cabins lol.
Very interesting, I had no idea about that with the bus transfers! Never seen that anywhere else in the world. And yes good point, it was kind of a miracle that the bag made it haha.
Again one of the best videos from dear Gabe . Always happy landing. Kai
Thank you!
I Love The Doro Wat Whit Injera,Yes I Have Been In Addis Abeba Fly From Oslo Via Stockholm.Great Trip Report And Info
Nice! Yes I want more of that injera.
Dear Gabe , your frustration is coming from the fact that Ethiopian Airlines has all the potential to be a global airline due to their new fleet and massive network in Africa , however lacking consistency in their service and keeping up with the latest seat standards in business is preventing them from being so .
Usually people wont complain if prices are very low , however that shouldn’t be the case anyway.
Thanks for highlighting this concern here .
Thanks for watching!
I am from France and Madagascar. And to be honest I am so proud of what Ethiopian Airlines has achieved. Finally an African company at a big scale and far better than the other African Airlines. Yes, it’s not perfect from our spoilt western point of view, but from a local point of view (lack of riguor, they don’t have the same comfort level in their personnal life, they don’t have the «codes ») and despite that they developed
So agree they are not the best, but if you know the reality of Africa, you’ll see how extraordinary they are
For comparison in Madagascar our 6 planes no longer fly abroad, you can expect bugs on the place and days of delay
So not afraid to say that I am proud of Ethiopian Airlines
I definitely think that they are doing better than a lot of Africa, but I am interested to see how this will be over time. I would say right now Ethiopian is somewhere in the "mediocre" category. If they want to take market share from the airlines in the UAE and Qatar, they are going to have to step it up. If they want to just be a bit better than other airlines in Africa, then they can keep it up. For someone like me, who was transiting through, I am not encouraged to bring my business back when I could easily and more comfortably fly on KLM, BA, or even LH.
@@airedition The premium segment is not ET's main target market. That is the reason it doesn't even have premium economy offering (nor does it plan to introduce it in the near future). Its target customer is either the business traveler to or from Africa who is looking for a reliable service or the cost conscious leisure traveler. The product is designed for the target market with focus on cost leadership. The ME3 decided to target Africa but they haven't been successful and now TK is aggressively targeting the continent (with much better strategy than the ME3). Having said that, however, ET will need to remain competitive, especially with its ambition to become a hub for east-west connection. The older 787s are in badly need of a cabin retrofit and the process has started with Adient but it will take time. The 777 fleet also needs a retrofit (more than the 787s) but not sure if they are part of the retrofit program.
Hands down the best youtuber out there, The man is always honest, tactfull and a great guy. ET looks mediocre, i don't understand the fuss around being "the best in Africa" Other airlines like South African Airways are outstanding. Keep on with this excellent footage Gabriel !!
Thank you Wian!
I had the same configuration from Addis to Harare - enjoyed the video
Thanks!
i hope they will improve,this is a good thing for the airlines,they have to learn from his video and change ,thanks for the video
Having flown ET in Y (and because of ET my subscribers on RUclips have soared 😊) I don't understand why Ethiopian does not offer any Ethiopian dishes on its flights. While I stayed at one of its hotels in the stopover the hotel had a nice dish of rice, cabbage, meat and fries (Is that local to Ethiopia?). Heard so much of Injera but never had it. Will need to find an Ethiopian restaurant here in Toronto. I salivated watching you enjoy your injera 😉
Gabe great video, you have a right to your own opinion on your videos however I found ET good in Y. It seemed no different than EY or TK, the FAs are there to take care of you and serve you and the airline gets you from A to B. However EK in Y cannot be compared with the food and Ice entertainment. The FAs can sometimes be sub par in comparison to ET, EY and TK. I guess in J it's different when you are paying so much more. Loved the Thai FAs in GF and WY Business Class. So dedicated 👍
Thanks for the thoughts! I'm glad you had a good flight in Y.
Lovely video as always. A bunch of haters here in the comments but I love your honesty and it makes the videos better. Happy you made your connection, I was getting nervous watching. 😅
Thank you!
Let me tell one thing, if you book ethiopian airlines,always do it for a night departure flight, cause it is not delayed and also best at most service will be provided during the night flight time. But day time flights are disastrous
Good comments, I hope they will improve and work on it, for a better tomorrow.
Agreed, thanks!
as an ethiopian who worked at the airline before and watched its amazing growth every year.i think it reached to its peak and dont have the motivation to grow to next level anymore because why would they they have a monopoly in africa, they make huge revenue every year, they are in the comfort zone. they need a competition something that will wake them up and fire them to reach the next level. Because i am seeing a lot of complaints recently.
For the sake of consistency Ethiopian Airlines needs to retrofit the seat on its older planes immediately. Choosing the best seats in the airline industry also matters.
I think this is a really good and interesting point. Thanks for your thoughts. We need another big African carrier that aspires to excellence. But who will it be??
@eyob797 True. But I would settle for a decent, well-maintained seat that is consistent across the fleet. Doesn't even have to have a lot of bells and whistles or the latest tech!
Consistency and bad communication is often overlooked by airlines. That amenity bag from China Airlines is certainly a keeper!
Both true!
I love ❤to watch this because you explain everything about Airlines and AirCraft that's awesome 👌 AmaZing
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Watching your videos whenever they come out is always such a productive and quality time spent.
How was your transit experience in Addis compared to Heathrow or another hub like Paris CDG ? I can't imagine that it would even be possible to catch a transit flight in just 12min to 15min in LHR, glad you made it.
Where would you rank Ethiopian Airlines in Africa excluding the connectivity criteria ? Just on the hard product, soft product and price to value ratio ? Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and Air Mauritius are the top 3 airlines in Africa, how would you rank them ? You gotta try Air Seychelles and Air Austral as well from Reunion island, although their business class still operates a 2-2-2 configuration.
I am honestly surprised that Ethiopian airline is that underwhelming though, although I should not since African countries in general have poor management due to political corruption. SAA was the king in Africa at one point in time and are now trying to recover from bankruptcy 🤦♂
Kind of a lame generalization of African political corruption. How is Ethiopian Airlines which is 100% government & state owned to be profitable, successful & still growing if this African country is politically corrupt??
@@azizyasin6734He doesn’t know. It’s just another bitter westerner who’s upset that Ethiopian Airlines outshines his dingy, downtrodden western counterparts. You know, Westerners are easily triggered folks. They foam at the mouth when it comes to seeing nations as Ethiopia shine meanwhile their own western countries are toppling into misery, homelessness, bankruptcy, etc., If a Westerner is hating - that means you’re winning 😅
In other words: you’re triggered that Ethiopian Airlines is supreme and you’re upset that your western “standards” are piss poor. Yawn.
@@bellaxo1597 Dude chill, I am also from Africa. I only said Ethiopian airlines is underwhelming, did I say anywhere that it was horrible or garbage ? Except for connectivity, it's a fact that Ethiopian Airlines does not look that impressive. I think Air Mauritius and Air Austral have better hard and soft product. My standards are Asian and middle-eastern airlines by the way. With the exception of Air France, most european airlines are average and I think Ethiopian Airlines offer a better product than most of them. Learn some humility and how to take constructive feedbacks while not getting triggered just because someone is giving you a reality check
Bellaxo seems to get very upset when his airline gets criticized as this is not the only comment he's left here spouting vitriol at the west and/or America (not sure what that has to do with anything). Maybe he was just having a bad couple of days, who knows.
But to answer you @theshieldhero7062 I would rank them 1) Air Mauritius 2) SAA and 3) ET. The only issue with SAA now is how limited their network is, but I think they offer a fantastic onboard product and could take the #1 spot if they can grow again in a sustainable way. Very interested to try Seychelles and Austral too! Also curious about KQ.
we don't believe you ethiopian airlines is one of the best airlines the cabin crew and everything i don't know how you see it
That’s great if you like it!
❤ Thanks again
I flew them ARN-ADD-NBO a few years ago on a biz trip. A lot of the disappointment comes from the expectations. Calling biz class Cloud Nine with "elaborated inflight service with warm Ethiopian hospitality" and much other lofty language vs angled and terrribly uncomfortable seat, awful Western inspired food and a crew who were indifferent at best and mostly just disappeared to the galley (one drink service outside of meals on the long hauls). Lounges also not up to par. I've never flown with them again.
It's a really good point you make about the expectations they set! Thanks for your thoughts.
Wooohooo you just made it in time for your final flight Gabe😂😂😂
Hehe yes!
"Middle of the road" experience😂😂😂
A bit touchy about comments on the last video, I see. This review doesn't actually lack the balance the previous one did. It's easy to see from the cuts and edits that you're desperately searching for points to trash the airline with and keep reappearing on camera to spout them. 99% of your 'dreadful' experience is off camera so you are expecting us to take your word for those. But, that's asking a lot of us- what with that tone of delivery and condescension. I remember Josh doing a very critical review during COVID and vowing never to get back on Ethiopian again and imploring his much larger audience to do the same; only to scamper back on board for another review last year. I do have to say I feel gutted for the cabin crew who work hard and do their best to look after you and yet they get a good bashing behind their backs for their efforts. The airline will keep going from strength to strength without Gabe and you won't have to constantly moan about Ethiopian not trying hard enough to impress you or "convert" you.
i flew with Ethiopian And was transit in Add At least 10 times. He is telling the The trouth every thing he mentioned.
@nuurehagi418 Nobody said he isn't telling the truth but it sure sounds like you didn't "avoid them at all costs".
100%. He’s just another bitter Westerner who’s triggered that Ethiopia is rising into prominence while his own nation is devolving into bankruptcy, homelessness, social issues and the likes. They say, when a westerner is triggered and is looking for problems, that’s how you know you’re winning 😂
@@teztad1263 you actually did say I'm not telling the truth though. You said many of my complaints happen off camera, and you can't take my word for that. So you're saying I've made up my criticisms about the service quality and the handling of the delay. Meanwhile how do you know the flight attendants did their best, were you working this flight?? And the 'behind their backs' comment is especially strange. You'd have preferred that I stick a camera in their face and confront them live? That would seem a lot less respectful to me.
I said in future I would avoid them at almost all costs unless the cost was significantly lower, then I might consider it. I think this is a very fair take given the overall value proposition, which for me isn't good enough. If you disagree that's fine. But if you focused on making cogent points instead of being needlessly aggressive, maybe we could have had a useful discussion about what exactly you find hard to believe here.
As things stand you just end up sounding like someone who can't stand to hear criticism (there are quite a few of you who have this problem when I criticize ET in particular!). I have to assume you work for the airline.
But in the end if going from strength to strength means continuing to have angled seats in business class on a good portion of the fleet, then I'm glad they'll be doing it without me!
Thank you @nuurehagi418 for weighing in.
@@airedition I'd have loved to be thanked for my observational feedback too. Remember Gabe, negativity breeds more negativity and when it comes to criticism, those that dish it out should be humble enough to take it. Just to clarify a few points; I'll say it again, everything you said may be true. Just that the manner of presentation that's uniquely apparent here than any of your other videos makes it all slightly hard to swallow. I'm sure you didn't mean to put words in my mouth. The good thing about all this is, we have another review about the new Ethiopian A35K from Patrick Shea, people will get a much clearer picture of the product by watching both videos. Magic of RUclips!
I'd never accuse you of being judgmental but I never worked in the airline industry. I do travel a lot, however; and Ryanair, Emirates, Ethiopian, and Air India were my most used carriers last year. I was very pleased with your enthusiastic AI review a few weeks back, even though they lost my luggage and gave me food poisoning the last time I flew them in September. Of course, I'll fly them again but will probably skip their onboard meal for now.
When it comes to ET, they've got their fair share of CS issues they need to sort out, especially on the ground. As I stated in the last video, your first experience with them on FR24 is decidedly lamentable. I've had a few flights like that with them but I take it for what it is. Ethiopian is a utilitarian airline. It is there to serve a purpose and make as much money as possible while doing so. They have been doing it for much longer than most carriers in the world and they can quickly adapt and diversify their business model when needed as we saw during COVID with cargo conversions and opening their own luxury hotels. ET would be mortified to be compared with QR, EK or the likes because that is not their model. For starters, they don't enjoy the obscene and unsustainable fuel and catering subsidies ME carriers do. As my close mate who is area manager for Turkish tells me, they are spoiling it for everyone by setting unrealistic expectations among passengers from other airlines. So, when you keep using phraseology like "they try to be" or "they want to be"... Ethiopian is exactly were it wants to be and is robust enough to shift quickly if it needs to.
When I say ET has been going from strength to strength, its based on the numbers. However, that doesn't mean just leaving everything where it is. With a bit of research you would have been able to discover that they have indeed started upgrading older cabins from last month.
Thank you for taking the time to reply at length! I have been a fan of both you and FR24 from the get-go.
I see this all the time in developing countries. Quite often the cabin crew positions go to bored, uninterested progeny of some government official. They want the pay and travel, but not the work.
Consistency is very important for airlines, Ethiopian Airlines needs to retrofit the seats of its older airplanes immediately, the new ones have modern seats. The schedules of Ethiopian Airlines also seems to be very tight, it would be great if there is at least three hours layover at the airport so that passengers will have ample time to connect, there will be no need to "hurry up".
Which is why I prefer to fly Emirates, connections are great!
Yep very good point, I agree the consistency is key. If you don't have consistent seats, then you'd better have a very superb and very consistent soft product. Qatar Airways manages this. And it's also an interesting point about their connections. Great to have a 1.5 hour connect if everything goes to plan, but if there's any delay all of a sudden it becomes stressful.
I've been spoiled on the JFK to DOH Qatar Q suite. All airlines should be at this level and take note.
oh yeah if you do a route like that in QSuite you are ruined for every other flight after that just about 🙂
Why is he angrily responding on evey one's comment who do no agree or believe him?
I just don't get how a "critic" can't take criticism??? 🤔
Funny how you're actually projecting here. The fact that you and your weird army of pro-ET commenters can't stand to hear anything bad said about ET and launch these defensive attacks in the comments section; have you thought about that? I'm not sure how many of you work at the airline (I'd guess a fair amount) but airlines (or cultures in general) where the first move is to deny criticism, and turn it back around in attacks on the critic to deflect, have got it all backwards. It's the classic mark of a closed society, or group, or company. Those kinds of environments, whether companies or societies at large, tend to rot from the inside over time.
I get angry when people (like you) claim that I have not actually reviewed the airline in good faith, but instead am "acting out of spite", "complaining", "being bitter because of x or y", and accuse me of acting with an agenda of some kind or somehow twisting the truth. There is a consequence to slinging accusations like that here, I'm not just going to take that lying down - I'm going to get angry at you and tell you why you're wrong. It's also irritating when people come in here to say "Ethiopian is amazing and you're just a hater", ignoring the fact that ET is objectively inferior in many respects to its competition. Even if it were JUST the angled flat seats in business, that would be enough. The people with half a brain who watched this see that this is mostly very constructive criticism, that there is plenty that is good enough but also that there are areas for improvement that would elevate ET. And I would love nothing more than to see them improve and succeed even more.
@airedition So now we are a "Rotten society". First of all i did not totaly disagree on your take i was just commenting on how you handled the people (audience) who didn't believe or who thought your video came from a place of "◉ supermacy". And i did not agree with them at first, but seeing how you responded to an individual like me by collectively insulting and calling the entire society "ROTTEN" may be they have a point🤔. you should honestly make some time and think about this.Bytheway I don't work for ET, for your information I am an Architect.
I found the passengers totally non-compliant and the cabin crew just as indifferent on my 787 flight, BKK-HKG.
That vibe does seem to be pretty universal throughout the company
Complain complain complain throughout your flight about ethiopian airlines what is your problem
😂😂
It's because of their mind!....they will never accept and have the good things/attitudes towards the blacks and their companies.
they make mistake mistake mistake throughout the flights on Ethiopian airlines what is their problem?
I'm going to leave this comment here only for other people to see how diabolical it is that some people think this way. I published a review of an airline, that's it.
I don't like Ethiopian airlines. Sue me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Your name is compiliment not Gabe
Is this an attempt at a snarky comment gone wrong? My name is compliment? Hi again by the way, I remember you from the A350 video. Thanks for coming back to chime in!
@airedition sorry brother I don't have to say that, you have the right to complain about the airline, sorry and Jesus loves you, bless you brother
@@ethio_apartements friend, I'm not complaining. I'm reviewing the service they offer. This means pointing out both good and bad. Please understand the difference.
The way you talk about Ethiopian Airlines seems more personal than professional. Could this be jealousy speaking? Your critique says more about you than it does about Ethiopian Airlines.
For someone so critical, you seem to have mastered the art of seeing the worst in everything. Have you considered giving optimism a try?
Get a life my boy😅
You know how ferenji are. They are jealous when any non-western nation does well. He’s simply mad his own country has ghettos and crime uncontained and rising homelessness. 😂 Pray for him. That’s all you can do for the bitter westerners.
Out of curiosity what could I possibly be jealous about? I don't own/operate a competitor airline to Ethiopian, I am just a consumer informing other consumers about what they can expect with these products. You will find in my other videos that I actually am quite optimistic, but when a product is lacking and disappointing I will discuss that. If it is too critical for you then I apologize but that's my style.
At this point, the problem seems to be you! You just can’t stop whining about everything, MY GOODNESS
Wow thank you
Ahh, you’re ridiculous
Maybe, but you won't hear me whining about a flight on Qatar or even SAS. If Ethiopian strives to really become a top tier airline, then they have a lot of work to do because the gap between the likes of Qatar and Etihad and Ethiopian is vast.
OUCH😩!! You were not a happy bunny Gabe 😢. It's not to be taken as an excuse, but their 'approach' is likely cultural. Ethiopian is trying to be global name, so will need to address these challenges quickly.
If they simply put a consistent seat into their entire 787 flat that includes zero angled flat seats, and then expanded the offering of injera to more flights, they'd be 50% of the way there if you ask me!
@airedition You're likely right Gabe. Hope they can get there soon 👍🙂.
It’s not hard to tell when you are annoyed. You do manage to put up with a fair amount of crap and it seems that the cumulative effect of the little things tips the scales into the negative category. As one airline that I fly frequently likes to point out “we realize that you have many choices “. Your itinerary from ARN-CPT on one carrier limited you to ET, KL/AF, BA, LH and was probably the cheapest option in J class of the carriers mentioned. I am guessing that unless you find a real bargain, you won’t go out of your way to fly them again. The ADD airport is (or can be) a real mess which is a major turn off. In the spirit of presenting a good review, you limited your criticism of the terminal which seemed to bring the overall experience up a notch.
I flew into Boston. Entire airport reeks of colonial old defecation, cigarettes, and moldy coffee. An absolute mess. America is the third world country now. Sorry you didn’t catch the memo, David. Please ask your lawmakers and congress to consider clearing out the homeless encampments too, would be lovely if they could get a handle on crime. Oh, and would be great if they could also tell American domestic flights to ensure that their engines stop lighting on fire midway through the flights. Oh wait! The American government can’t do that. They’re too busy trying to ban TikTok…and they’re bankrupt. Plus they’re far too occupied with ensuring that Californians are left without any home insurance to cover their losses post-fires. Goodness, America and its inability to contain their airports and ensure a standard of cleanliness and security. What a third world country it is. Maybe they’ll take a page out of ADD and Ethiopian Airlines and maintain cleanliness and orderliness…probably not though, because America is broke and corrupt.
@@bellaxo1597oh no Bellaxo you’re still here ranting and raving? Seriously maybe phone a friend and come off the ledge.
@ Lol
that is simply incorrect all Ethiopian 787-9 airliners have 1-2-1 business class seat configuration. all 787-8s have 2-2-2 config. there's no 787-9 with 2-2-2 config.
👏👏👏👏👏👏
@Jake-re2sd judging by your comment, you are either A, use ET all the time during your travels or B. You work for Ethiopian and you know your aircrafts
@@gpierre90 you are right, i always fly with ET because they’re the best and also my country’s flag carrier. And i know all about their aircrafts (from the de havilland q400 to a350-1000).
I left this comment because the guy said some of the 787-9s have a 2-2-2 business seat config and thats incorrect. I wanted to correct him.
Sorry they absolutely do have 2-2-2 on some. You’re the one who is wrong.
At this point my man has stopped reviewing ET and is just making negative videos out of spite to get back at the people who criticized(didn't like) his last "Review" about ET 😂😂😂
Little did I know there’s an army of delusional people who will defend ET’s failings no matter what the evidence shows! And also attack me personally while they’re at it. What a nasty vibe you all have. Quite an eye-opener. Keep in mind that everything on camera here was recorded before either of these were published. So how could the negative take be out of spite against the first video’s comments? Not to mention that half the commenters on both videos fully agree with me (because it’s all true)! In other words your hope to pin this all on spite is not gonna stick.
@airedition I just don't get how a "critic" can't take criticism???
@@aireditionwhat evidence are you talking about this is not a court room 😂😂😂 you showed and talked about your flight experience about ET good,,,,......NOW we are talking and commenting about our experience watching your videos so why are you attacking and insulting us just because we didn't believe you??? 😁why?
Oh no, an American whose triggered Ethiopian Airlines is actually better but has to hide his envy and jealousy by meaningless critiques that are applicable to every single airlines carrier internationally. Ah. This is why your folks age fast! Bitterness runs in your veins since the inception of time. Ethiopian Airlines will continue to prosper and rise above your budget. That way you can stick with your Spirit Airlines as you deserve. 😊
Bellaxo do you need a hug or something.
@@airedition No, but you clearly do. *Hugs*
@@bellaxo1597 Okay that's progress.
Oh by the way I'm releasing a video with a negative review of an American airline on Friday. I can imagine this may confuse you 🙂
💛
Here u go again complaining over something very minor and which beyond the ER level to deal with....i think u don't need to drink water anymore cuz your mind is a full of water.
My doctor said that my water-in-head levels were actually exceptional so I'll just keep up with my current water drinking schedule, but thanks!
U complain
U complain me complain
Glad the government is prioritizing poverty, not a "superb" airline. ET is where it should be at any given time, providing the product Africa wants now. The same QR flight would cost a lot, lot more.
That's a fair point, and if ET works for people that's great. I think overall the airline is a fantastic thing for Ethiopia and for Africa. My review is in the context of the competitive landscape that is premium tickets between Europe and Africa/Asia though, so I'm looking at them accordingly and imagining how they could be better. Thing is, QR flights are not necessarily much more expensive, depending on your origin city. For example on random dates in February Stockholm to Johannesburg on ET is $2500, on QR $2900. If that's the choice I'm definitely going with QR!
@airedition well, OSL/ARN is a direct flight, QR needs a stopover. You always pay a premium for that. On the other hand, I've seen ET biz.from OSL at 35k+, too...
ET has a lot.of room to.improve, no doubt. Their home grown strategy is a long game. Let's revisit in a few years and see what happened.
No water for YOU!
😂
Hmm, Whatever! not a real review, maybe personal opinion/s and more in line with a critism. Maybe do a comparison to the US airlines.... or cheap Euro airlines....
Whatever yourself. A comparison with US or cheap euro airlines would be irrelevant because they’re not competing for the same business. And of course there’s going to be personal opinion in a RUclips review of an airline. At the same time, many of my criticisms are based on objective fact. The poor quality of many of the business seats. The lack of communications about delays. Etc.
Great review I fly fairly often and tend to stick to Qatar Singapore Airlines Turkish & Virgin sometimes, I was considering Ethiopian for a flight LHR-CPT which I do about twice each year, but watching your review which is very much fact!! I will pay a bit extra and stick with either Qatar or Turkish 😀 Thanks for the insight..
Honestly I would recommend going with BA if the price is acceptable to you, or alternatively KLM, which I will be covering shortly actually!
But also you can't go wrong with QR, of course!
Nobady care what u are sayings. Plus ur breath shows how small the airport is wow.
Wait when?