Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) are now connected by way of this morning’s inaugural Ethiopian Airlines flight from that nation’s capital city. Flight 518, a 315-seat Boeing 787-9, carried dignitaries and government and airline officials on the maiden voyage.

“The way we ensure Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be the world’s busiest and most efficient airport is to continue to expand across the globe by connecting with partners like Ethiopian Airlines — the largest airline carrier in Africa. Having Ethiopian Airlines making regular flights into our airport will further connect the people, businesses, economies, and cultures of both places,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

“This new route strengthens ATL’s position as an international economic force,” Balram “B” Bheodari, Hartsfield-Jackson general manager, said. “This deepens relationships established in Addis Ababa and is a huge win for our customers traveling for business or leisure to Africa and points beyond.”

Ethiopian Airlines’ four-times-a-week service — the second African-based airline to provide direct service to Atlanta — represents a significant step forward in ATL’s international service. Also today, the Canadian carrier WestJet inaugurated a new nonstop service between ATL and Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The airline, which already has service between ATL and Calgary International Airport (YYG), will begin nonstop service to Winnipeg International Airport (YWG) on Sept. 6, 2023. With ATL partner Delta Air Lines expanding its schedule to Edinburg, Scotland; Nice, France; Cozumel, Mexico; and Dusseldorf and Stuttgart, Germany, the Airport’s international destinations now include 74 cities.