Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) will switch the European intermediate stopover on its flights to North America from Rome Fiumicino to Dublin International with effect from May 10 Irish media reports have stated.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) reportedly struck a favourable deal with the Star Alliance carrier resulting in the switch, Ireland's Sunday Business Post said.

Owing to Addis Ababa International's altitude (7,546 feet or 2,300 metres), Ethiopian's services to Toronto Pearson in Canada and Washington Dulles in the United States require a refueling stop on the outbound while inbound services to Africa operate direct.

As with its Rome operations, Ethiopian does not, as yet, have 5th Freedom traffic rights on flights out of or into Dublin.