democratic republic of congo by CIAT - International Center for Tropical Agricultu on flickr.com
Ethiopian Airlines travels to beautiful Democratic Republic of the Congo.
An interesting and unique destination offered by Ethiopian airlines is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This country has a rich history and was once known by the name Zaire. Located in Central Africa, it is the 3rd largest country in the region with over 2 million sq. km of area. In order to distinguish it from its neighbor Republic of Congo, it is often referred to as Congo-Kinshasa (Kinshasa is the capital.)
Nearly 67 million people live in this country and speak a mix of languages, the major ones being French, Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo, and Tshiluba. The country has several major exports that bring in a lot of it’s money. The main exports to come out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, and crude oil.
Although the country has calmed down and is no longer considered an overly risky place to visit, tourism isn’t really recommended. Most of the people who come to this country are visiting mostly for business, research, and international aid, and those who do come need to consult with their organizations and seek expert guidance before planning any sort of trip. There are zones that are still considered war zones as well as a few areas with extremely high crime rates. For a casual trip, it is best to seek elsewhere.
Ethiopian Airlines is the main airline for the Ethiopian area and has been in operation since 1945. This airline is fairly large and serves not only destinations within its home base country but worldwide. Ethiopian Airlines no longer stands alone, but has become a part of the vast Star Alliance which also includes numerous airlines throughout the world. This particular airline has a frequent flyer program which allows its members to earn and spend their miles throughout the entire airline network rather than their airline alone.
While traveling, there is a wide range of entertainment choices to keep passengers occupied and happy during their flights. Passengers can chose from a list of comedies, actions, drama, and suspense movies from recent Hollywood releases. For those who want something a little more unique, they also offer a large series on Ethiopia that deals with the history, the people, and the scenery that is unique to the country. They also offer a wide range of music to suit just about anyone’s needs.
This airline offers several seating choices including the Cloud Nine option as well as Economy Class. The Cloud Nine option is much more expensive but there are many extra amenities provided that do not exist in Economy. Longer flights, especially international ones, include meals for both Cloud Nine and Economy classes. For Cloud Nine passengers, each meal is individualized with passengers choosing from an ‘a la carte’ menu. Each Cloud Nine meal also comes with a choice of fine wines or champagne. Economy class also gets a three course meal that has been pre-prepared and comes with a choice of drink. This airline is one of the few that is still providing meals to its passengers and it makes them a little unique.
