Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD/HAAB): Q1 2026 Airline Capacity Analysis

Introduction.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport continues to solidify its position as Africa’s leading aviation hub, with strong capacity performance recorded in the first quarter of 2026. According to AeroTrail data tracking, the airport handled a total of 5,943,500 airline seats between January and March 2026, translating to an average of approximately 66,038 daily return seats.

Capacity Trends and Monthly Performance.

January emerged as the peak month, recording 2,206,611 seats, while March registered the lowest capacity at 1,809,574 seats, falling below the quarterly daily average. Notably, March 30 recorded the lowest daily capacity during the quarter, reflecting broader operational disruptions.

This decline was largely attributed to the Middle East geopolitical crisis, which significantly impacted operations at the hub. Ethiopian Airlines was forced to suspend up to 10 destinations, including Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Dammam, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, due to airspace closures and safety concerns. These disruptions led to the cancellation of over 100 weekly flights, with estimated revenue losses of approximately $137 million per week.