Ethiopian Airlines Defends Transporting Live Monkeys to US As ‘Complying With Aviation Rules’

Addis Abeba — Ethiopian Airlines has defended its transportation of live primates to the US for laboratory use as complying with “international aviation” rules, following criticism from the animal rights group PETA.

In a press briefing held yesterday, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew responded to allegations that the airline flew 250 long-tailed macaques to a US importer that supplies monkeys for laboratory experiments.

The CEO stated, “this is complying with international aviation rules; we transport such animals under legal permits from both the US and other countries, and we comply with international laws.”

PETA has launched a campaign against Africa’s largest airline over the purported transport of the endangered monkeys across the Atlantic. In a statement, the group accused Ethiopian Airlines of “facilitating their use in experimental procedures.”

Earlier this month, two American and a UK citizen were arrested in Addis Abeba as they were preparing to stage a demonstration outside the airline’s headquarters demanding the Airlines to stop shipping endangered monkeys. The trio were deported after imprisoned for over 24 hours.

The CEO further refuted the recent allegations by Eritrean authorities used to justify suspending the airline’s flights, labeling them “baseless” and an attempt to “smear” its reputation.

The row emerged after the flag carrier received a letter dated July 21st from Eritrea’s Civil Aviation Authority stating the flight ban. However, Ethiopian Airlines claims the specific reasons were not properly communicated and said that it is “currently seeking clarification“.

A letter circulated online, allegedly from Eritrean aviation officials, accused Ethiopian Airlines of engaging in “consistent and persistent malicious trading practices,” citing a litany of claims including systemic issues with luggage handling, pricing irregularities, prolonged delays, and failure to properly compensate passengers.

Addressing these allegations during the press briefing, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew denied any such misconduct, emphasizing Ethiopian Airlines’ commitment to professionalism and diligently serving the region “with the highest standards.”

Tasew stated that although the airline received a letter from the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority, the letter failed to specify reasons for the decision. He stressed that the airline operates according to international laws and strives to ensure the proper treatment and accommodation of passengers.

The CEO mentioned that in March, Eritrea’s Civil Aviation Authority had sent a letter to Ethiopian Airlines concerning luggage mishandling and requesting compensation for affected passengers.

He reported that Ethiopian Airlines took immediate corrective action, reducing the number of passengers per flight to ensure that passengers traveled with their luggage, effectively resolving the issue.

Tasew said, “Treating this as a criminal offense is not appropriate,” adding that Ethiopian Airlines is ready to address mistakes and is working towards maintaining healthy relations, trade, and tourism between Eritrea and Ethiopia. He said efforts are being made to engage with Eritrean authorities to prevent flight suspensions.

Separately, the CEO dismissed as “false and unaccepted” an accusation reported by CNN’s Africa correspondent that Ethiopian Airlines had forcibly removed a passenger with Somali citizenship from her seat and handed it over to an Ethiopian official, sharing the alleged incident via video footage.

Tasew provided clarification, stating that there were three passengers involved in the situation, none of whom were officials. He explained that the passengers were VIPs from a neighboring country traveling in business class, while the individual in question had an economy class ticket and had entered the plane without proper permission.

“We had no reason whatsoever to reassign the passenger’s seat to someone else,” the CEO asserted, adding that despite efforts by the airline to provide accurate information to the journalist, they were unsuccessful in doing so.

The Airlines reported earning revenue of 7 billion USD during the 2023/24 financial year, transporting 17.1 million passengers.