First leg of an ADD-FCO-ORD journey. Ethiopian operates this route with the 787-8 and 787-9, which, although they ordinarily have the legs for ADD-ORD non-stop, require a technical stop in Europe due to Addis Ababa’s high field elevation. Recently, the tech stop was changed from Dublin, Ireland, to Rome, Italy.
Server: Solo
Airline: Ethiopian Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8
Origin: Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Bole, Ethiopia (ADD)
Stopover: Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport, Fiumicino, Italy (FCO)
Destination: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois (ORD)
Flight Number: ET574
Route: HAAB-LIRF
Seat: 3A (Cloud Nine)
Time En Route: 5 Hours 39 Minutes
At the gate at ADD
Turning around for takeoff after a backtaxi. We’re in ET’s Cloud Nine business class product, which with its wide seats and excellent service is a definite go-to for traveling to and from East Africa.
Rocketing up and away for Rome
Crossing the Nile
Annnd now we’re feet wet over the Mediterranean
We’ve reached the coast of Calabria
In our descent near Naples
Landing in the very, very early morning
Pulling into Terminal 3
Deplaned for a brief layover in Rome