If you’ve been stranded, separated from family, or watching business grind to a halt in northern Ethiopia – there’s finally some good news in the skies.

What’s Happening?

Good news for travellers to the north. Ethiopian Airlines has announced it will resume regular flights to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, from this Sunday, 11 October, just a week after federal forces regained control of the city.

In a statement shared on its social media platforms on Friday, the national carrier said passengers can start booking tickets from 9 October through its offices and call centre.

The airline had suspended flights to Mekelle, Shire and Axum on 23 September citing the “current situation” in Tigray – a move that came after reports that Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) forces had taken control of the airports overnight.

For now, commercial flights to Shire and Axum remain suspended.

For people in Tigray, this isn’t just a flight schedule – it’s a lifeline. When Ethiopian Airlines stops flying to Mekelle, it cuts off the fastest, and often safest, route for medical referrals, university students, perishable goods and family reunions.

The last time flights were cut, it lasted for more than two years. Services were halted at the outbreak of war in November 2020, stopped again after Tigrayan forces retook Mekelle in June 2021, and only resumed on 28 December 2022 after the Pretoria peace deal.

Imagine being a trader in Mercato in Addis with stock stuck in Mekelle, or a mother in Tigray trying to get her child to treatment in the capital. That 90-minute hop is the difference between connection and isolation.

Why This Keeps Happening?

To understand why a flight cancellation matters so much, you have to understand the history.

The 2020-2022 Tigray war between the federal government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the TPLF was one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century, with estimates of hundreds of thousands of deaths.

The war ended with the African Union-brokered Pretoria Agreement in November 2022. Under it, federal authority was restored, and Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights to Mekelle in late December 2022 and to Shire in January 2023.

But key provisions – including disarmament and the fate of contested Western Tigray – have never been fully implemented.

On 23 September 2026, the TPLF alliance launched a major offensive against the federal army, taking Mekelle airport. The African Union warned it threatened the 2022 agreement. The loss of Mekelle was seen as a major blow for the opposition alliance it leads. Over the past week, TPLF fighters have reportedly withdrawn from the city to spare it destruction – a tactic they also used in the previous war.

Ethiopian Airlines, which carried over 17 million passengers last year and operates a fleet of 150+ aircraft, is state-owned – so its flight decisions are closely watched as a barometer of government confidence in security on the ground.

Why It Matters?

1. Reconnection: Restoring Addis-Mekelle re-establishes the key transport artery between Tigray and the rest of Ethiopia. Roads remain volatile and take two days.

2. Economic Signal: Markets in Tigray have been starved of cash and goods. Flights bring cash flow, aid workers and business.

3. Humanitarian Access: UN and NGOs rely on this route to move staff and supplies.

4. Political Signal: A resumption tells locals and the diaspora that Addis believes it is back in control – at least for now.

What Does This Mean for you?

If you’re flying: Check with Ethiopian Airlines directly. Tickets from 9 October will likely sell fast, and prices may be dynamic for the first few days.

If you’re travelling to Shire or Axum: No joy yet. The airline has provided no timetable for those routes.

If you’re worried about safety: The security situation “remains volatile.” The airline is resuming on federal government assurances, but the region is still fluid.

What to Watch:

- Sunday 11 October: Does the first flight land and take off on schedule? That will be the real test.

- Shire & Axum: When will the airline restore the other two Tigray routes? That depends on airport security assessments.

- AU Mediation: Will the African Union push both sides back to full implementation of the Pretoria deal?

- Eritrea Factor: This week, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrean troops of penetrating 60km into Ethiopia and took the case to the UN, with blasts reported near Adigrat – a reminder that Tigray’s crisis is tangled up in a wider regional tinderbox.

The skies over Tigray are opening again, but for many families, the waiting isn’t over.

We’ll keep tracking this for you at cbinews.tv.

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