- Airport history
- Infrastructure
- How to get from the airport to the city
Bole International Airport is located 8 km southeast of the city of Addis Ababa. In addition to him, the capital of Ethiopia has another airport called Lideta, which is located in the southwestern part of the city and is now used for the needs of the army.
The airport received its current name in honor of the area in which it is located. It was formerly known as the airport named after Emperor Haile Selassie I. Bole Airport is considered the largest in Ethiopia and the third largest air terminal in Africa. It is surpassed in size only by the airports of Johannesburg and Cairo. The airport currently serves about 100 flights per day.
Addis Ababa International Airport is the main hub for Ethiopian Airlines, which provides seamless connections to cities in Ethiopia and other African countries. Bole International Airport is viewed by many carriers as the gateway to Africa. It is the departure point for numerous local charter flights. It also offers direct flights to Asia, Europe, North and South America.
Bole Airport is one of the main centers for pilot training (the Ethiopian Aviation Academy is based at the airport) and aircraft maintenance in Africa. It is known for its strict security controls.
Airport history
The new Addis Ababa airport came after the national carrier Ethiopian Airlines realized that the runway at Lideta Airport was too short for the recently purchased Boeing 720 jets. The decision was therefore made to build a new airport in the Bole area. This happened in 1960.
Two years later, the airport received its first passengers. In 1997, a large-scale reconstruction of the existing air hub began. The old runway was expanded, a convenient terminal with eateries and shops was built, and the control tower was enlarged.
Another major renovation took place at the airport in 2003. Since then, the airport has been able to receive Airbus A380-800 aircraft. For these giants, a new asphalt runway with a length of 3,800 meters was erected here.
At the same time, a new terminal was opened - large, bright, well-equipped and convenient.
Infrastructure
Bole Airport has two terminals, behind which there are parking lots for air transport. The first terminal serves the airlines of Ethiopia, Egypt, Qatar, Sudan and Yemen. The second terminal is intended for the reception and departure of aircraft belonging to other air carriers.
The distance between the two terminals is only 200 meters. It can be walked or taken by a free bus.
In 2012, a VIP lounge was opened at Addis Ababa International Airport for first class passengers.
The new international terminal operates around the clock. Wi-Fi is free and available 24 hours a day. For passengers, there are duty-free shops where you can buy sweets, souvenirs, jewelry, etc., restaurants and eateries, a post office, a bank office, a currency exchange office, where you can exchange a small amount to get to your hotel by taxi or public transport, medical center.
There are information screens at the airport, but the information on them may turn out to be incorrect, so you need to listen to the announcements made by the airport staff, or check the data on the departure / arrival of aircraft on the airport website.
If you fly with Ethiopian Airlines and use Addis Ababa as a transit point, then you can qualify for a free stop at one of the capital's hotels, where you will be taken by a bus from the airline.
How to get from the airport to the city
One should not expect European service from African Addis Ababa. There is no airport bus service with the Ethiopian capital. If you want to save money on a transfer to the city, then take a blue and white minibus, which is intended for local residents (tourist minibuses are painted yellow). A minibus stop with a capacity of 10-12 people is located at the terminal. The trip will cost about 40 birrs, that is, several dollars. The ticket is purchased from the conductor directly in the cabin.
Another way to get to the city is to use the services of taxi drivers. The price must be negotiated in advance, there are usually no taximeters in cars. The average fare to the center of Addis Ababa is 200-300 birr (10-15 dollars).
If you can arrange a transfer with the hotel before your flight, a shuttle bus will be waiting for you at the airport. Travel in this case will be included in the cost of living.
Finally, at Addis Ababa airport, you can rent a car and travel on it.
