Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopian Airlines is once again embroiled in controversy following what appears to be a breach of security and administrative protocols at Bole International Airport.
The incident involves an Ethiopian TikTok personality, identified by local news outlets as Mehere Tadesse, who arranged a photoshoot on a parked Ethiopian Airlines plane at the airport for her birthday. The pictures went viral, sparking a wave of criticism against the airline. This comes amid ongoing allegations of what seems to be an orchestrated campaign to tarnish the airline’s image, both from abroad—primarily involving Eritrea and Somalia—and within Ethiopia.
However, the birthday photoshoot incident appears to have been conducted with the approval of a relevant authority at the airport responsible for security arrangements. Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), the agency in charge of airport security, is under scrutiny for its role in the incident.
Ethiopian Airlines released an official statement hours after the incident, claiming it had no prior knowledge of the video shoot. “We would like to clarify that this video was recorded without the official approval of the management,” the statement read. The airline also emphasized that it received no payment for the photoshoot.
The airline’s response, however, has raised more questions than it has answered. Prominent activists and social media personalities have criticized the statement as irresponsible, arguing that it suggests potential vulnerabilities in the airport’s security arrangements.
Activists have accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration of undermining Ethiopian Airlines’ operations by replacing experienced security officials with individuals perceived to be aligned with the ruling Prosperity party (but it is understood as ethnic Oromo nationalist party). The government has typically responded to such criticisms by highlighting the ethnic diversity and decades-long experience of the airline’s management team, which has a deep understanding of the business and its operational needs. Notably, it was under Abiy Ahmed’s administration that an Ethiopian Air Force commander, reportedly a supporter of the Prime Minister’s party and from the Oromo region, was appointed to the airline’s Board of Directors.
The airline’s statement— “We would like to clarify that this video was recorded without the official approval of the management”—appears to suggest that the management is struggling to enforce its protocols and administrative arrangements effectively.
Below is the full statement from Ethiopian Airlines:
Official Statement from Ethiopian Airlines
We are aware of the recent social media post regarding a birthday celebration that took place on an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft while it was on the ground and parked for maintenance purposes. We would like to clarify that this video was recorded without the official approval of the management.
Ethiopian Airlines prides itself on maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and service. We deeply regret any inconvenience or negative perception this incident may have caused. We are currently investigating the matter, and corrective action will be taken against those who organized this event without following the company’s approved procedures.
We would also like to assure the public that Ethiopian Airlines did not receive any payment and does not have any contractual agreement of any kind with the individual in the video.
We appreciate the feedback from our valued customers and the public. Your trust and satisfaction are of utmost importance to us. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to prevent such occurrences in the future and to continue providing exceptional service.
Ethiopian Airlines
Member of Star Alliance”
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This criticism of an airline that has become the envy of every airline out there including those in the Western world, is just silly. Some one does not have better things to do in writing this nonsense. That young lady wanted to have fun on her birthday and went to the limit she could afford without disrupting any flight. That peerless CEO of the airline has proved himself to be the best airline CEO in the industry and would never allow the young lady to cause any inconvenience to his passengers or and of the airline’s daily routine. The writer of this article is barking at the wrong tree.
If someone wants to be concerned about the old country and its noble people, he/she should talk about the real danger lurking around over there. Our new president has just taken the right action against the danger. The terrorist group ISIS is said to be getting new strength by bringing in new recruits into its ranks in the mountainous region of Puntland and the majority of its fighters are said to be hapless migrants from Ethiopia. Religious extremism has been one of those probabilities worrying me for quite sometime now. The Wahhabis have been salivating at the sight of the old country since their day one and ISIS is one of their variants. This ISIS group operating in Puntland is said to have majority of its top commanders from Ethiopia. That gives me the willies. We should all stand together against this specter. No one will be safe with these demons.
Whoever wrote this has lots of time on hand to waste. How bad do you hate the leaders of your own country for you to mix up young lady’s personal interest/fun, the person who gave her the access/team leader who allowed her to do this using non-working plane. This is totally fine, why not? she knows someone at the airport, and she got it. Her dream came true. I am not promoting lawlessness here but what is wrong with it if she followed all security measures before she accesses the plane and take pictures? This could have been a good opportunity for Ethiopia to get another trophy, look how beautiful the picture is, that is made in Ethiopia, why not see it in a clear eye? why do we have to ruin everything lol