Ethiopian Airlines - Stop Over

A

Aharon

Honorary Master
Joined
Sep 12, 2006
Messages
10,595
Reaction score
516
Hi Everyone,

I have read that if you fly Ethiopian Airlines and your layover in Ethiopia is between 8 and 24 hours when connecting via Addis, they will give you a hotel room and meal vouchers.

Has anyone done this? Does it work? What is the process.

Regards
Aharon
 
They usually call your name at the gate before boarding, and give you a printed hotel voucher.

When you get to Addis go straight to passport control, show them the voucher & your passport then you'll get a 24h visa, pass through the queues at customs with their one x-ray scanner which everyone has to use, then head outside and find the transport for the relevant hotel in the parking lot.

Just a heads up the hotels can be very "local" if I'm putting it politely. Getting back into the airport is a whole other story, you'll do the whole airport security thing before entering the terminal, and again once you're inside before heading airside.

If you can, ask them to switch you to the in terminal hotel once you get to Addis, it'll make the whole process a LOT more simple and less frustrating.
 
Thanks so much for your detailed reply. :) I have a couple more questions if you dont mind:

1. Do they keep your checked luggage or can you take it?
2. The hotel is my concern. If I were to pay could I stay at a different hotel? (I would like to stay at the out of terminal Skylight)
3. What year did you use this service?
 
Sorry, one more questions - if they dont give a voucher, can I get a visa on arrival and stay at a hotel of my choice?
 
1) They keep it as you're technically in transit
2) You can pay to stay in the Skylight in terminal hotel, as this doesn't require you leaving airside. Other outside hotels require the visa.
3) Since 2023
4) Check the Ethiopian government website, I don't leave the terminal any more as its a massive pain getting out and back in.
 
There flight was delayed so i missed my layover, they still had security checks even on layover, they seems changed this to save on time. Airport was a mess back then.

They put me in hotel was not great, manage get bit of wifi signal atleast.

Outside this 3 star hotel it looked like dump they were slaughtering animals lol
 
Segg said:
1) They keep it as you're technically in transit
2) You can pay to stay in the Skylight in terminal hotel, as this doesn't require you leaving airside. Other outside hotels require the visa.
3) Since 2023
4) Check the Ethiopian government website, I don't leave the terminal any more as its a massive pain getting out and back in.
Click to expand...
Great, thanks.
I checked the visa site but they dont talk about a transit visa.
My other option is to "transit" in Kenya but their reliability worries me. I have done it before and left the airport with a ETA
 
Gtx Gaming said:
There flight was delayed so i missed my layover, they still had security checks even on layover, they seems changed this to save on time. Airport was a mess back then.

They put me in hotel was not great, manage get bit of wifi signal atleast.

Outside this 3 star hotel it looked like dump they were slaughtering animals lol
Click to expand...
Really wanted to stay at the out of terminal skylight which is very nice.

Its a tradition to eat raw meat. :)
 
Aharon said:
Great, thanks.
I checked the visa site but they dont talk about a transit visa.
My other option is to "transit" in Kenya but their reliability worries me. I have done it before and left the airport with a ETA
Click to expand...

Our staff that have been traveling with Kenyan have been chronically delayed, sometimes more than 24 hours.
I'd recommend ET over KQ any day.

I've stayed in the skylight in terminal hotel plenty times, it's decent. Aircon could use an upgrade but it's better than the other options.

You won't find a transit visa category for Ethiopia online, you'd need a visitors visa, but check if the passport you're traveling on is visa exempt / visa on arrival.
 
Segg said:
Our staff that have been traveling with Kenyan have been chronically delayed, sometimes more than 24 hours.
I'd recommend ET over KQ any day.

I've stayed in the skylight in terminal hotel plenty times, it's decent. Aircon could use an upgrade but it's better than the other options.

You won't find a transit visa category for Ethiopia online, you'd need a visitors visa, but check if the passport you're traveling on is visa exempt / visa on arrival.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. Think I am going to give this try. I believe SA Passports can get a VOA if needed?

Thanks again
 
Aharon said:
Thank you so much. Think I am going to give this try. I believe SA Passports can get a VOA if needed?

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Correct, as in VOA. Its a busy line to get processed, as a few steps, including payments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X