The largest airline in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it has finalised preparations to start flights to Cape Town – its second destination in South Africa, and Gaborone in Botswana.

From June 30, 2015, the flights to both Cape Town and the Botswana capital will be operated three-times-weekly with the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft.

The Star Alliance member will operate an Addis Ababa – Gaborone – Cape Town – Johannesburg – Addis Ababa routing, with the service departing the Ethiopian capital at 09:30am, and arriving into Gaborone at 14:30pm. The service then departs Botswana at 15:20, to arrive into Cape Town at 17:30pm. Departing Cape Town at 19:00pm, the service arrives into Johannesburg at 21:10pm. Finally, Ethiopian departs South Africa’s biggest city at 22:30pm, arriving back into Addis Ababa at 05:40am the next day.

Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam, said: "As a Pan-African airline working to bring Africa together and closer to the world, we are very pleased to spread our wings to Cape Town and Gaborone. “

“Our new flights to Cape Town and Gaborone will give our customers more and convenient connectivity options when travelling within, to and from the continent. We will continue to expand our reach in our home market in Africa with a view to support to the continent’s socio-economic integration and development.”

Overall service to Johannesburg will increase from seven to ten weekly, though the airline does not have local traffic rights on Gaborone – Cape Town and Cape Town – Johannesburg sectors.

Cape Town is South Africa’s second city and one of the main tourism destinations in Africa. Gaborone is the political capital and economic centre of Botswana and the new services will offer passengers more choice and flexibility, as was as facilitating trade, investment and tourism ties between Ethiopia, South Africa and Botswana.