The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has denied entry to a DHC-8-Q400 operated by Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) on a charter flight from Addis Ababa International to Hargeisa, capital of de facto independent Somaliland. The regulator said the flight, carrying unidentified "Ethiopian VIP" passengers, had not obtained the necessary permit to enter Somali airspace. Ethiopian Airlines confirmed that the aircraft returned to Addis Ababa "because there were doubts regarding the required permissions from Somalia, even after it had already commenced its journey". The development comes amid elevated tension between Ethiopia and Somalia in the wake of Addis Ababa's breakthrough diplomatic agreement with Somaliland on January 1. The de facto state's government is also set to get an undisclosed stake in Ethiopian Airlines.

Source: Ethiopian News January 19, 2024 11:13 UTC