Ethiopian Airlines and flydubai have complied with the Somali Civil Aviation Authority’s demand to refer to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, as located in Somalia in their booking systems, avoiding the risk of losing access to Somali airspace.
Ethiopian Airlines displayed Hargeisa without mentioning the country name, while flydubai identified it as part of Somaliland, prompting the regulatory action. Despite the Ethiopian carrier’s request for an extended deadline, the SCAA insisted on a swift correction given available technological capabilities.
Ethiopian Airlines serves various cities in Somalia, including Mogadishu, Garowe, and Bosaso, while flydubai’s routes do not directly connect to Somalia but transit its airspace on the way to other African destinations.
Other foreign airlines operating scheduled flights to Hargeisa, such as Daallo Airlines, Jubba Airways, African Express Airways, and Air Djibouti, have either listed Hargeisa as a Somali city or omitted country names alongside their destinations, aligning with international law that recognizes Somaliland as part of Somalia despite its self-governing status.
