Ethiopian Airlines is committed to a strong culture of innovation as it enhances the passenger experience and strengthens operational efficiency. In this video interview, following his participation at the recent APEX FTE Asia Expo, Samson Arega Bekele, Group Vice President Customer Experience, shares how Ethiopian Airlines is innovating to enhance end-to-end CX; how the airline creates truly unique, memorable and differentiated experiences for all types of guests; the importance of ensuring that experiences remain consistent across digital and in-person channels, and much more.
Arega Bekele participated in a key session on the Premium Conference stage at APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 – ‘The End-to-End Customer Experience Summit’ – in which he emphasised that the airline’s approach is rooted in a simple but powerful principle: automate what creates friction and humanise what creates connection.
Keeping the experience “intuitively human”
Reflecting on the conference session, Arega Bekele explained that Ethiopian Airlines is focused on removing unnecessary friction from the travel journey while reinforcing the warmth and hospitality that define the brand’s identity.
“We need to automate the frictions that impact service delivery, and capitalise on the touchpoints where human interaction adds real value,” he said. “Our design concept is straightforward: whatever improves interaction between our passengers and our service, we automate – but we keep the emotional, human elements where they matter most.”
This balance, he noted, is foundational to the airline’s broader vision of “Ethiopian African hospitality” – a signature warmth and service style that should be felt at every touchpoint, from check-in to the cabin to the arrival experience.
Differentiating the experience through data-driven personalisation
With global customer expectations rising, Ethiopian Airlines has been investing heavily in creating experiences that feel personalised and memorable for a diverse passenger base.
“We’ve been doing a lot lately to elevate the onboard experience – from crew service to inflight entertainment, connectivity and food,” Arega Bekele shared. “We’ve introduced national dishes, as well as Chinese and Indian cuisine tailored to local tastes. And this is all enabled by data. It allows us to focus our innovation on what passengers actually want, whether it’s onboard, in our meals or through our digital touchpoints.”
The airline continually collects feedback across the entire travel chain. This constant loop of insights allows Ethiopian Airlines to understand evolving passenger preferences and launch targeted improvements.
Where is the most untapped potential for innovation?
Asked which part of the travel journey offers the greatest opportunity for innovation, Arega Bekele said the airline sees potential everywhere. “Every touchpoint is important – pre-flight, inflight and post-flight,” he said. “The overall experience determines our brand value and the loyalty we build within our customer community. Whether it’s a digital product, a ground service or an onboard experience, every part of the journey has room for innovation.”
He added that events like APEX FTE Asia Expo play an essential role by connecting airlines with the technology partners developing the next generation of tools and platforms.
Delivering consistent experiences across a global network
With over 160 passenger and cargo destinations, Ethiopian Airlines faces the complex challenge of ensuring that customers receive the same high-quality experience regardless of where they interact with the brand.
Consistency, Arega Bekele said, is not optional – it’s core to trust. “It’s vital for us to maintain a level of sameness across every touchpoint,” he explained. “Whether you’re greeted in Lagos, enjoying a coffee at 35,000 feet or receiving lounge service at our hub in Addis Ababa, it should feel consistent.”
The airline uses a robust set of monitoring and feedback mechanisms to evaluate performance across its network. Ethiopian Airlines tracks onboard service, inflight entertainment, connectivity, airport services, baggage delivery (both premium and economy), check-in performance and digital interaction quality. “Through these feedback loops and ratings, we work to maintain consistency across every service point,” said Arega Bekele.
Technology and humanity: finding the right balance
As artificial intelligence (AI) and automation proliferate across the industry, airlines are increasingly focused on how to adopt new technologies without losing the human connection that passengers still value.
For Ethiopian Airlines, this philosophy is clear: automate tasks that are repetitive or cause friction – and preserve human interactions where empathy and emotional intelligence matter. “If something is repetitive or creates friction, we automate it,” Arega Bekele explained. “But we capitalise on the things that make the service feel human. There is always a human element, especially in the cabin, where crew welcome passengers with a smile and engage with them throughout the journey.”
With 60-70% of Ethiopian Airlines’ passengers travelling as transfer or transit customers, the inflight experience becomes even more critical. “Most of their time is spent on the plane,” he noted. “So maintaining that human connection – that Ethiopian hospitality and African warmth – is essential. We track it, we evaluate it and we ask our passengers how we are performing.”
At the same time, friction reduction through automation, improved digital services and streamlined processes helps create the seamless experience travellers increasingly expect.
APEX FTE Asia Expo: “A convergence of people, processes, systems and innovation”
Commenting on his experience at the event, Arega Bekele praised APEX FTE Asia Expo as an important forum for exchanging ideas and advancing collective progress. “FTE provides a platform where airlines, airports and technology partners come together and discuss the future of travel. It’s a convergence of people, processes, systems and innovation. It’s a very good platform for partners to collaborate and bring about the changes our passengers want to see while they fly, transit or move through airports. It’s an important platform, and I commend FTE for doing just that.”
As the global aviation industry accelerates toward a more digital, data-driven future, Ethiopian Airlines is positioning itself at the intersection of technological progress and human-centred design. Arega Bekele’s insights highlight a clear vision: one where automation enhances efficiency, while genuine hospitality remains the heart of the brand. With a focus on consistency, personalisation and meaningful human connection, the airline aims to shape a travel experience that is not only seamless, but truly memorable – a fitting embodiment of the “Ethiopian African hospitality” it champions across its growing global network.
View the full APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 report >>Save the date for APEX FTE Expo Asia, 18-19 November 2026 – uniting the world in Singapore for the largest end-to-end passenger experience and innovation expo
Next year, we’re building on 15 years of incredible momentum, as our long-running regional show evolves into a true global mega event with the launch of the unified APEX FTE Expo Asia, bringing together two of the industry’s most respected brands under one roof at the Marina Bay Sands. APEX will bring its largest event, APEX Global EXPO, to Singapore, combining its unrivalled customer experience heritage with FTE’s long-established regional innovation APAC event, which will now take on a broader global focus.
This powerful new collaboration will unite the world in Singapore for the largest end-to-end passenger experience and innovation expo, connecting airline, airport, and technology leaders from across APAC and beyond to showcase the ideas, solutions, and partnerships redefining the future of travel.
With more than 3,000 participants expected, including representatives from 100+ airlines and airport operators from around the world, attendees will experience a dynamic exhibition and conference programme featuring C-suite interviews, case studies, and discussions exploring the strategies, technologies, and collaborations driving the next era of air transport innovation.
Mark your diary for APEX FTE Expo Asia, Singapore, 18-19 November 2026 >>
