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  About Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and is one of the most important cities in Africa. It is also the largest city in Ethiopia. The city is also considered as the political capital of Africa since it houses the headquarters of the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. It is situated in the foothills of Entoto Mountains and is one of the five highest capital cities of the world. Ethiopia is known for producing the best coffee in the world, and there's nothing better than actually flying to the country to try some. The city has a rich economic, scientific and political history and several museums that showcase these findings. In fact, you will also come across a museum that solely focuses on telling people how politics can make bad history. Not to mention, it is also a great place to go on a shopping spree for Ethiopian products, lots of coffee grounds and souvenirs. While Addis Ababa is not a popular vacation destination, a lot of travellers usually explore the city when they have a long layover. If you do not have any time constraints as such, you can definitely explore the city and be amazed at how it has progressed.

Best Time to Visit Addis Ababa

Ethiopia is called the Cradle of Mankind and is one of the best places to visit in Africa. January to March is a high season in Ethiopia. The temperature ranges from 10 to 24 degree Celsius with slight rainfalls. It doesn't rain as much in Addis Ababa, but it does in the other cities. Summer is the perfect time for you to spot wildlife like giraffes, wolves and ibex. You can also attend events like Timkat and Leddet in summer. Hiking in the Bale or Simien mountains is one of the only things that you will not be allowed to do in summer. Since this is high season, make sure you book your flight tickets to Addis Ababa in advance and book your hotels in Addis Ababa several weeks in advance. The prices begin to surge since the city welcomes a lot of tourists in this season.

April to September is a low tourist season in Addis Ababa since this is when the monsoon begins. The city can get pretty hot, sticky and uncomfortable in monsoon. While you might get cheap flight tickets to Addis Ababa in monsoon owing to the dip in tourism, it is best to postpone your trip. However, if you still visit the city in monsoon, you will be allowed to go sightseeing at certain parks like the Omo and Mago Valley, but the major attractions remain shut. The temperature ranges from 12 to 25 degree Celsius during summer. October to December is also summer in Addis Ababa, and the temperature ranges from 10 to 20 degree Celsius. However, it is still a shoulder season in the city where only a few tourists will be seen. The weather remains cooler as compared to the high season. October to December is also an ideal time to go hiking in the Simien mountains. You might come across some excellent flight deals to Addis Ababa online during the shoulder season. If you plan to visit any time between October and December, ensure that you make the most of this deal. You will also get great discounts at the hotel you will be staying in, or maybe you pick one that comes with a lot of offers.

Places to Visit in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa has a lot of museums that narrate the sad story of its past. The 'Red Terror' Martyrs Memorial Museum is one of those museums that will shake you. It recalls the terrible incidents that have taken place in the city and give you a perspective in life. The National Museum is yet another popular tourist attraction that you can visit. St George Cathedral and Museum and Holy Trinity Cathedral are few of the other popular spots in the city that you cannot miss. Head over to Merkato if you want to go on a shopping spree. Fair warning: It will be crowded so be prepared for it. You can also visit the Lion of Judah Monument that holds a lot of significant positions in the city. The Derg Monument is a reminder to the people of Addis Ababa about the pain and struggles that they went through during the communist rule. You can also roam around the Addis Ababa University and be amazed at the beautiful campus. You can also climb up the Entoto Mountain and catch the panoramic view of the city from up here. It can get pretty overwhelming. However, make sure that you are hiking up the hill during the right season. It is not safe to hike in the mountains during monsoon. You can also visit the Addis Ababa Museum, which was founded in 1986. The city has a lot of museums and historical landmarks that you cannot miss.

Things to do in Addis Ababa

You can catch the magnificent view of the entire city from Mount Entoto. Hiking in the forest of Eucalyptus trees sure does count as quite an adventure. You can also sign for a sightseeing tour covering all the museums in the city. Mercato is Africa's biggest open-air market, and you will buy everything from handmade baskets to spices at the market. It also has a separate section where shopkeepers sell second-hand items. Head over to Tomoca Coffee for the most refreshing cup of freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee in different flavours. You can also order for Macchiato, which is equally excellent. The Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum is a great place to learn more about Ethiopia's tragic past. If you want to go on a shopping spree for traditional clothes, you can try the Shiro Meda; it is near the US Embassy in Addis Ababa. The restaurants in the city have a very active dance and music scene along with delicious food. Make sure you do try some of that. You can also check out the statue of Emperor Menelik II, who was the founder of Addis Ababa.

Lagar Railway Station is yet another tourist attraction that you cannot miss. It is the first-ever railway station in the city, and its unique architecture is what makes it special. Medhane Alem Church at Bole District is one of the biggest Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Churches, and it is breathtakingly beautiful. Head over to check out the Tiglachin (Dreg) Monument, which stands as a reminder that Ethiopia was victorious over all of its invaders. You can also sign up for a food tour in the city and get to know more about the culinary speciality here.

Food and Restaurants in Addis Ababa

Ethiopian food is known for being spicy, and while it may not be as popular as European or Asian food worldwide, it is worth trying. If you are new to Ethiopian food, your first experience will be out of this world. Addis Ababa has a lot of restaurants that serve traditional Ethiopian food with music and dance. They also have a lot of restaurants that serve other cuisines from all over the world and cannot be missed. Totot is a restaurant that specialises in Ethiopian cuisine. Make sure you order the Kitfo here that melts in your mouth and is quite spicy. The restaurant is packed on weekends so make sure you reach the restaurant early, so you don't have to wait for a long time. Yod Abyssinia is yet another restaurant that reflects the country's food, dance and music culture. The decor of the place is unique, and it is also quite close to the airport. You can order the tibs, Shiro and Doro wat here along with kitfo. The Addis Ababa restaurant in Arada can be a little difficult to find, but it is completely worth it. A lot of locals believe that the food here tastes like homemade food.

How to reach Addis Ababa (Transportation)

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is about 6 km from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Addis Ababa from India is excellent. Ethiopian Airlines has direct flights to Addis Ababa from India. Egyptair, Kenya Airways and Emirates Airline also have flights to Addis Ababa with layovers at Cairo, Nairobi and Dubai. It might be difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Addis Ababa if you book at the last moment. If you book several weeks in advance, you might get exciting flight deals to Addis Ababa online that are worth exploring. It is quite convenient to get a cab or car rental service from the airport to your hotel. However, it is advisable to pre-book your cab online. You can also opt for an airport shuttle service that your hotel might offer. The airport also has premium lounges, restrooms and a lot of other services for the convenience of the passengers. The airport opened its first business class lounge in 2012, and they are also planning to add spas and another lounge soon.

  About Saudi Arabian Airlines

Saudi Arabian Airlines or more popularly known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and is based out of Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The secondary hubs for Saudi Arabian Airlines are in Riyadh and Damman's King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport, respectively. With respect to revenue, Saudi Arabian Airlines is the third-largest in the Middle East and falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. The airline caters to a slew of domestic routes and international routes spread across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Much of the domestic and international charter flights are deployed and operated during the Ramadan period and the Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2012, Saudi Arabian Airlines joined the SkyTeam airline alliance and is also part of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It is a non-profit non-political organization that comprises of airlines from 18 countries and has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.

The airline came into existence in 1945 following the reception of a Douglas DC-3 as a present to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud by the then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This gave the kingdom a nudge to put their resources towards building their civil aviation. Saudia Arabian Airlines was also founded at the same time and fell directly under the government rule with all its controls handled by the Ministry of Defence. The airline's management contract was handed over to Trans World Airlines (TWA). The first airport for the airline's operations was in Kandara Airport, located close to Jeddah. However, the airport has been demolished. Its early operations consisted of flights heading from Lydda (present-day Israel) to accommodate transport for Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. Following this, Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced various domestic route operations such as Jeddah-Riyadh-Hofuf-Dhahran. The airline also brought in delivery of two Boeing 720s and became the fourth Middle Eastern airline to operate a jet aircraft. In 1963, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia announced that the airline would become a registered company instead of complete independence.

Later, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline further extended its reach from domestic routes to international routes with connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai, Sharjah, Frankfurt, Tripoli, Geneva, Tehran, Rabat, Tunis and Khartoum. By the 1970s, the carrier changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines to Saudia. Further, the airline also included Jumbo Jets to its fleet that was leased from Middle East Airlines. These jet planes were mainly deployed for operations in the London sector. During the same period, Saudia also operated Special Flight Services (SFS) that were reserved for the royal family and Saudi Arabia's government agencies. Following this, the airline expanded its international route network by chartering services to Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Kano and Muscat. A joint service of Pan Am/Saudia started in 1979 between Dhahran and New York City. In the 1980s, Saudia accommodated Horizon Class, a business class service, to enhance its in-flight services. In 2016, the airline announced that they would be starting a low-cost carrier subsidiary going by the name Flyadeal. Launched under the Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, the airline began operations in 2017 with flight services to domestic and regional destinations.

Fleet size of Saudi Arabian Airlines

As of 2020, Saudia owns a fleet size of 142 aircraft that comprises mainly Airbus and Boeing. The airline plans to continue adding world-class aircraft to its fleet and reach the top position as the best airline in the Middle East. They have constantly been rooting to enhance and modernize their fleet. Thorough studies and comprehensive deductions are made before the airline invests in acquiring new aircraft. Not to mention how an outline of their requirements from the aircraft is also charted out to get a better understanding of which aircraft will do justice to Saudia's brand name. This is in accordance with the airline's operations for domestic routes, regional routes and international routes.

Currently, the airline has 46 Airbus A320-214s, 15 Airbus A321s, 32 Airbus A330-343s, 33 Boeing B777-368ERs and 16 Boeing B787s as part of its fleet. Out of these aircraft, the Boeing B777-368ER is their largest aircraft which accommodates about 413 seats, 383 catering to the economy class cabin while 30 for business class. Meanwhile, the Airbus A330-343 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner are the second largest with a seating capacity of 298 that are segregated strategically. 274 seats have been reserved for economy class cabin while 24 have been placed in the business class cabin.

Baggage allowance

Baggage allowance, as stated by Saudia, vary from the journey type and the cabin class. They mostly follow the standard protocols set by the global aviation industry, which requires passengers in the first and business class cabin to have baggage weighing not more than 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from economy and guest class, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg. In case the passengers do end up breaking the rules of baggage allowance and carry the weight that exceeds the said numbers, the airline will levy tariffs in SAR, per kg. Saudia also expects the passengers to follow the baggage dimension rules. Each piece of baggage needs to be within the dimensions of a total of 158 cm. In case the dimension does exceed, it cannot go beyond 205 cm.

Failing to meet the criteria would result in the airline requesting the passenger to ship the baggage by cargo. The same rules apply for domestic route flights and international route flights of Saudia. Depending on the cabin class that the passengers travel by, the airline would accordingly allow pieces of baggage. Flights to Asia from Saudia have two pieces of baggage allowed for economy class with one hand baggage that cannot weigh more than 7 kg. Business and first class passengers are allowed to car two pieces of checked baggage and one hand baggage that cannot exceed the weight of 12 kg.

In-flight

Saudia's in-flight services are exceptional as they offer a slew of luxurious amenities and hospitality. The airline boasts pristine seating which comes with comfortable leather. The seats are equipped with personal entertainment systems, spacious legroom and other such facilities. There is a special Saudi magazine that passengers can find as part of the entertainment package. These are mostly available on medium and long-haul flights. Part of Saudia's in-flight services also includes seat upgrades that can be requested at the check-in or even onboard. The airline also offers in-flight meals and beverages. However, it is one of the few airlines in the world, not to serve alcohol and pork. As per the Islamic dietary laws and restrictions, alcohol and pork are considered to be omitted from the diet.

Hence, the airline adheres to the same beliefs and does not serve the two items on the flight. It does offer a menu that has a rich list of dishes from global cuisine. One can immerse themselves in the delicious food while enjoying some good entertainment content. Some of the select few aircraft in Saudia's fleet also offer WiFi and mobile network portability. Interestingly, the airline's fleet also has prayer areas along with a recorded prayer that is played before the flight's take-off.

Popular routes and top cities for Saudi Arabian Airlines

Saudia has enabled a successful domestic route and international route of flight connectivity. They have an extensive range of destinations to cater to that include about 80 cities spread across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Some of the international destinations include Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jakarta, Baghdad, Milan, Rome, Amman, Nairobi, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Rabat, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Lahore, Karachi, Doha, Singapore, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Madrid, Colombo, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, London, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC. With hubs in Riyadh, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Dammam, Saudia's domestic route connectivity is also quite strong as it connects to a vast number of cities within Saudi Arabia. These include cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Najran, Neom, Yanbu, Rafha, Najran, Turaif, Wedhj and more. Further, the airline wishes to expand more of its destinations and add more cities to its list of connectivity.

Why travel from Saudi Arabian Airlines?

Saudia or Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the best airlines as voted in the Middle East. It falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways to be the third-best in the aviation space of the Middle East. Much like the luxury standards set by the other two airlines, Saudia also meets with the same as it facilitates a slew of luxe in-flight services and convenience to the passengers. The airline is well-equipped with the best aircraft that have business class as well as economy class cabins. They recently introduced a mobile app to make travel procedures easier. Passengers can do their web check-ins from the app and also know more about the flight status. Further, there are provisions to book a Saudia flight on their app and other travel portals too, thanks to its popularity. Saudia's flight schedules have been mentioned on their website to help passengers pick the right option.