Conditions of Carriage

1. On some services we have arrangements with other carriers known as "Code Shares". This means that even if you have a reservation with us and hold a ticket where our name or airline designator code (ET) is indicated as the carrier, another carrier may operate the aircraft. If in case of a Code Share flight ET is indicated as the carrier these Conditions of Carriage also apply to such transportation. If such arrangements apply we will advise you of the carrier operating the aircraft at the time you make a reservation.


2. For Code Share services on flights operated by another carrier, ET is responsible for the entirety of the Code Share journey for all obligations to Passengers established in these rules. However, each Code Share partner has rules with respect to the operation of its own flights, which may differ from ET’s rules for flights operated by Ethiopian. Those rules are incorporated herein by reference and form a part of these Conditions of Carriage.


3. When an ET code share partner operates a flight to/ or from the U.S on which ET's "ET" designator code appears, the operating carrier's contingency plan for lengthy tarmac delays will govern for that flight.


4. The rules with respect to operation by Ethiopian that may be different from its code Share partners include but are not limited to:

- Check in time limit
- Unaccompanied minors
- Carriage of animals
- Refusal to transport
- Oxygen services
- Irregular operation
- Denied boarding Compensation
- Baggage acceptance, allowance and liability


5. For the rules and regulations of Ethiopian Code Share partners, please refer to their websites or travel agency.


6. Ethiopian will advise passenger at the time inquiry whether an ET flight is operated by another carrier under the Code Share arrangement.


7. Please follow the below link to review the list of Ethiopian Code Share partners.

Code Share Partners.

1. All customers who want to deplane from a flight delayed on Tarmac and make alternative travel arrangements consistent with airline ticketing policies may do so, when it is determined to be safe and secure;

o After the aircraft has been moved in to position for deplaning
o All operational requirements for deplaning have been completed
o And the pilot- in- command has allowed customer deplaning to begin.


2. Passengers will be allowed to keep their boarding pass with them to re-board when permissible.


3. Customers who choose to deplane and make alternative travel arrangements, consistent with airline ticketing policies, may be advised that in most cases their checked baggage will remain on the aircraft to the flight’s final destination. In cases where the flight returns to the gate and cancelled, customers will be able to retrieve their checked luggage at the airport’s baggage Claim facility


4. Depending up on the circumstances of the delay, Ethiopian will provide adequate food and drinks including potable water.


5. Ethiopian will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the level of seamless service both on board and on the ground meet expectations. Ethiopian will not accept liability for service deficiencies experienced by passengers for reasons other than those within Ethiopian's control.

Ethiopian Airlines Tarmac Delays Contingency Plan

1. In accordance with Department of Transportation “Enhanced protection for airlines passenger regulations (14 CFR Part 259)” Ethiopian Airlines is committed to providing convenient and hassle-free service on every flight it operates.


2. Ethiopian’s contingency plan for lengthy tarmac delays here after refereed as “Ethiopian’s Contingency Plan” or “Contingency Plan” describes what Ethiopian will implement during lengthy tarmac delay in accordance with U.S. Department of Transport (DOT) regulations. Ethiopian makes its plan available at the carrier’s website, www.ethiopianairlines.com.


3. Ethiopian’s goal is to make every flight a safe and pleasant experience for its customers. Ethiopian’s plan will be activated during times when customers on Ethiopian flights are experiencing irregular operations involving a lengthy tarmac delay. In most cases the cause of lengthy tarmac delays are outside of Ethiopian’s reasonable control (e.g. weather events, inefficiencies of the day’s air traffic control (ATC) systems, government operating restrictions, and airport construction projects). There are also times when anticipated flight delays may occur due to airline operations. Ethiopian adopts the following Contingency Plan, in order to be able to manage the situation in an orderly manner.

plan for Lengthy Tarmac Delays

1. Ethiopian flights covered by this plan are those flights that depart from or arrive at a U.S. airport. Ethiopian will not permit the aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than four hours without deplaning the passenger unless:

i. The Pilot-in-command determines there is a safety related or security related reason why the aircraft cannot leave its position on the tarmac to deplane passengers, or
ii. Air traffic control advises the Pilot-in-command that returning to the gate or another disembarkation point elsewhere in order to deplane the passengers would significantly disrupt airport operation


2. For all flights covered by this plan, Ethiopian will provide adequate food and potable water no later than two hours after the aircraft leaves the gate (in the case of departure delay) or touches down ( in the case of arrival delay) if the aircraft remains on the tarmac.


3. For all flights covered by this plan, Ethiopian will provide operable lavatory facilities as well as adequate medical attention if needed while the aircraft remains on the tarmac.


4. Ethiopian will provide passengers with notifications of the status of delays to passengers every 30 minutes during a delay, including the reasons for delay if known.


5. Ethiopian will notify passengers that they may deplane from an aircraft at the gate or another disembarkation area if the opportunity to deplane actually exists.


6. Ethiopian ensures adequate resources available to implement this contingency plan for lengthy tarmac delays when necessary. Ethiopian will coordinate with Airport authorities, including terminal facility operators (where applicable), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and parties serving Ethiopian, including diversion airports.

1. Ethiopian works hard to get you to your destination on time, as scheduled. There may be times when weather, air traffic control, operational or service considerations lead to flight delays, cancellations or diversions. When this happens Ethiopian will notify you, known delays, cancellations, and diversions within 30 minutes of becoming aware of a change in the status of a flight (cancellation, delay, or diversion).


2. Ethiopian will explain the reason for the delay (if known), cancellation or diversion based on the information that we have;


3. Ethiopian will update the information displayed at airport gates to show flight status; and make information on known delays, cancellations, and diversions available on Ethiopian website, at the boarding gate for a flight at U.S. airport, by airport display boards, through Ethiopian reservation office, through your mobile phones and/or SMS/e-mail addresses or on www.ethiopianairlines.com.


4. If Ethiopian‘s flight happens to miss the connection Ethiopian flight to your destination, every effort will be made for alternate travel arrangement. If that is not feasible and if you have to wait until the next available flight, Ethiopian will provide you with full hotel accommodation, 3 minute telephone call to destination and ground transportation to and from hotel.

1. Denied boarding compensation shall be issued provided that:

• Passenger has a valid ticket purchased from ET or an agent of ET irrespective of whether the ticket is a document of ET or any other carrier having Interline Agreement with ET. Tickets earned from ShebaMiles points are also entitled for DBC.

- Passenger holds confirmed and valid booking on that particular ET flight

- Passenger has presented himself/herself for check-in for the particular ET flight at the time and place specified by ET (before online/counter/check-in activity for the particular flight is closed) within the latest check in time or within the stations minimum connecting time (MCT) for connecting passengers and is in possession of the necessary travel documents, in accordance with the General Conditions of carriage.

- Passenger has been denied boarding on the particular flight by ET due to overbooking /payload restriction and has been left behind as a result.


2. If your flight is an over sale situation, you will not be denied a seat until Ethiopian first asks for volunteers willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation an amount determined by prevailing DOT rules to travel on a later, specified flight.


3. If there are not enough volunteers, Ethiopian will deny boarding last booked passengers.



Note In all circumstances, the importance of passengers and their business affiliation with Ethiopian shall be considered before reaching a decision.

4. If you are involuntarily denied boarding and have complied with our check-in and other applicable rules, we will give you a written statement that describes your rights and explains how we determine boarding priority for an oversold flight.


5. In addition to furnishing a written statement, if we orally advise involuntarily bumped passengers that they are entitled to receive free or discounted transportation as denied boarding compensation, we will also orally advise the passengers of any material restrictions or conditions applicable to the free or discounted transportation and that they are entitled to choose a check instead or cash.


6. You will generally be entitled to compensation and transportation on an alternate flight. We make complete rules for the payment of compensation, as well as our policy about boarding priorities, available at airports we serve. We will follow these rules to ensure that you are treated fairly.


7. Passengers traveling from the United States to a foreign point who are denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight originating at a U.S. airport are handled in accordance with U.S. Department of Transport (DOT) regulations.

1. Passengers on a journey involving an ultimate destination or a stop in a country other than the country of origin are advised that the provisions of a treaty known as the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention may be applicable to the entire journey, including any portion entirely within the country of origin or destination.


2. Ethiopian will not be liable to the passenger for any damages resulting from its or the passenger's failure to comply with any laws, regulations, orders, or rules, nor will we be liable for damages resulting from our compliance with state regulations or your failure to fulfill your obligations.


3. Pursuant to these Conventions, the Carrier would be liable for damage sustained in case of death or bodily injury of a passenger upon condition only that the accident which caused the death or injury took place on board the aircraft or in the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking.


4. Ethiopian Airlines shall not be held liable for passenger failures to have required travel documents in accordance with Article 15 and for issues relating to denied boarding due to insufficient travel documents and visas.


5. Where the Warsaw Convention is applicable, the liability of the Carrier in case of death or bodily injury shall be limited to 8,300 SDR (approximately USD 10,000) per passenger (the limit will be raised to 16,600 SDR (approximately USD 20,000) per passenger where The Hague Protocol is also applicable).


6. Notwithstanding the provisions of proceeding Article if we prove that the damage was caused by, or contributed to by, the negligence of the injured or deceased Passenger, we may be exonerated wholly or partly from our liability in accordance with applicable law.


7. International Carriage as defined in the Convention, is subject to the liability rules of the Convention. Where International Carriage is not subject to the liability rules of the Convention, our liability for any Damage with respect to the carriage of Passengers and Baggage, shall be as set forth in the Montreal Convention. Where the Warsaw and Montreal conventions applies, we will be liable for damage except when we can prove that we took all necessary measures to avoid the damage or that it was impossible for us to take such measures.


8. The Carrier reserves all defenses available under the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention or the applicable law, as the case may be, in order to limit its liability, or exonerate itself there from.


9. For passengers on a journey to, from, or with an agreed stopping place in the United States of America, either the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention may be applicable, but also special contracts of carriage embodied in applicable tariffs set by virtue of inter-carrier agreements provide that the liability of certain carrier parties to such special contracts, for death or personal injury to passengers is limited in most cases to proven damages not to exceed U.S.$75,000 per passenger, and that this liability up to such limit shall not depend on negligence on the part of the Carrier.


10. The limit of liability of U.S.$75,000 above is inclusive of legal fees and costs except that in case of a claim brought in a state where provision is made for separate award of legal fees and costs, the limit shall be the sum of U.S.$58,000 exclusive of legal fees and costs.


11. Additional protection can usually be obtained by purchasing insurance from a private Company. Such insurance is not affected by any limitation of the carrier’s liability under the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention or such special contracts of carriage. For further information, please consult your Airline or insurance Company Representative.

1. Liability for loss, delay, or damage to baggage is limited unless a higher value is declared in advance and additional charges are paid.


2. Ethiopian would be liable for damage sustained in case of destruction , or loss of or damage to checked baggage upon condition only that the event which caused the destruction, loss or damage took place on board the aircraft or during any period within which the checked baggage was in the charge of the Carrier. However, the Carrier is not liable to the extent that the damage resulted from the inherent defect, quality or vice of the baggage.


3. Where the Warsaw Convention is applicable, the liability limits of 17 SDR (approximately USD 20) per kilogram for checked baggage and 332 SDR (approximately USD 400) per passenger for unchecked baggage.


4. Where the Montreal Convention is applicable, subject to satisfactory evidence, the limits of liability shall be within the limit of 1,131 SDR (approximately USD 1,750) per passenger for destruction, loss, damage or delay of all baggage.


5. For unchecked Baggage allowed on board, Carrier shall only be held liable in the event of a proven fault by the Carrier, its servants or agents.


6. For travel wholly between U.S. points, Federal rules require any limit on an airline’s baggage liability to be at least U.S. $2.800 per passenger. Excess valuation may not be declared on certain types of articles.


7. Unless or otherwise stated herein, international travel as defined in the convention is subject to the liability limits of the applicable convention.


8. You should be aware that the Carrier reserves all defenses available under the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention or the applicable law, as the case may be, in order to limit its liability, or exonerate itself there from.


9. Ethiopian shall not be liable for normal wear and tear such as scratches and dents.

1. Where the Warsaw Convention is applicable the limit of liability shall be for destroyed, lost, damaged or delayed cargo within the limits of 17 Special Drawing Rights( SDR) (approximately USD 27) per kilogram.


2. Where the Montréal Convention is applicable, the limit of liability is only up to an amount of 19 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) (approximately USD 31) per kilogram.


3. The limitation of the carrier’s liability in respect of total amount does not apply if the consignor has made, at the time when the package was handed over , a special declaration of interest in the delivery at destination and has paid the requested surcharge. In that case Ethiopian shall pay a compensation for destruction, loss, damage or delay up to the amount of the declared value unless it proves that the sum is higher than the consignor’s actual interest in delivery at destination.


4. All compensation claims are subject to proof of value. Montréal Convention applies to all carriage to or from the Unites States.


5. On-code share flights: If the air carrier actually performing the flight is not the same as the selling(marketing?) carrier, passenger shall address a complaint or make a claim for damage against Operating carrier.


6. If the name or code (Code Share) of an air carrier is indicated on the ticket, that air carrier is the contracting carrier (i.e., the carrier shown on the ticket)

No action to enforce any other right to damages or compensation shall be brought after two years from the date that of your arrival at the place of destination or the date on which the aircraft was scheduled to arrive or the date on which the carriage was interrupted.

The passenger or his/her agent should recognize that personal data has been given to Ethiopian Please refer our Privacy Policy.