Ethiopian Airlines has announced the launch of a new passenger service linking Addis Ababa Bole International Airport with Lyon Airport via Geneva, further strengthening its presence in the French market.
New Lyon Route Strengthens France Connectivity
The new route is scheduled to begin on July 2, 2026, with flights operating three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The service will be operated using the airline’s modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft and will complement Ethiopian Airlines’ existing operations to France, which currently include daily flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle and four weekly services to Marseille Provence Airport.
Timings, Aircraft and Network Strategy
According to the airline’s schedule, flight ET 738 will depart Addis Ababa at 00:10 local time, arriving in Geneva at 06:30, before continuing to Lyon at 07:30, landing at 08:15. The total journey time, including the one-hour stop in Geneva, is approximately nine hours and five minutes.
The return service, flight ET 739, is set to depart Lyon at 19:20, stop in Geneva at 20:05, and arrive back in Addis Ababa at 04:55 the following day.
The Lyon service becomes Ethiopian Airlines’ second one-stop route via Geneva, alongside its four weekly flights to Manchester using the same hub. On other days, the Manchester service is routed through Marseille, highlighting the carrier’s flexible European network planning.
Long-Term Growth and Airport Constraints
Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew described France as a long-standing and strategic market for the airline, noting that the new route will enhance trade, tourism and people-to-people ties between Africa and Europe.
The expansion also comes as Ethiopia advances plans for Bishoftu International Airport, a new hub designed to overcome operational constraints at Addis Ababa’s high-altitude airport. Current elevation limits aircraft range and payload, while the proposed Bishoftu site offers improved efficiency and long-haul capability.
Ethiopian Airlines has positioned the new airport as a future continental aviation hub, aimed at supporting Africa’s growing air travel demand.
Would you choose a one-stop Ethiopian Airlines flight to Lyon via Geneva? Share your views in the comments below.
