Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) has again suspended flights from Addis Ababa International to Makale (also known as Mekelle), Axum, and Shire/Indaselassie, in Ethiopia's northern Tigray, effective September 23, 2026, citing the "current situation" in the region amid reports that Tigrayan forces had taken control of Mekelle airport.

The newspaper Addis Standard reports that the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) took control of Alula Aba Nega International Airport in Mekelle from federal police overnight on September 22-23, after the TPLF and six other armed and opposition groups had announced an alliance on September 20 aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The latest stoppage of flights follows a previous suspension that began in November 2020 at the outbreak of the Tigray war. Following a peace agreement in November 2022, Ethiopian Airlines resumed regular flights to Mekelle in late December 2022 and to Shire in January 2023, ending a suspension of over two years.

However, Ethiopian Airlines suspended its flights to northern Tigray again between January 29 and February 3, 2026, as fresh clashes raised fears that the 2022 truce could unravel. The airline is the only scheduled carrier serving the northern Tigray region.