Ethiopian Airlines has announced plans to launch a new passenger service to Lyon, further expanding its presence in the French market and strengthening its European network.
The new route is scheduled to commence on 2 July 2026 and will operate three times a week, with flights routed via Geneva. With the addition of Lyon, Ethiopian Airlines will serve three destinations in France, alongside Paris and Marseille, reinforcing France’s role as a key European market for the carrier.
The airline said the new service will enhance connectivity between France, Switzerland, Africa, and beyond, offering passengers improved access to its extensive global network. Through its Addis Ababa hub, Ethiopian Airlines provides onward connections to more than 65 destinations across the African continent, as well as services to the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
Commenting on the launch, Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines, said the expansion reflects the carrier’s long-standing commitment to France. He noted that the airline has been connecting France to Africa and international destinations for more than five decades, and said the addition of Lyon would further support trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties between the regions. He added that the new route will offer passengers seamless access to destinations across Ethiopian Airlines’ worldwide network while maintaining a focus on reliable and high-quality travel experiences.
Ethiopian Airlines’ European services play a central role in its strategy of linking Europe and Africa, supported by a fleet of young and modern aircraft. The carrier has continued to grow its global footprint in recent years, adding new routes across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia as part of its broader international expansion strategy.
The introduction of the Lyon service underlines Ethiopian Airlines’ continued confidence in European demand and its ambition to strengthen connectivity between the continent and Africa through an increasingly diversified network.
