
My Opinion | 132038 Views | Aug 14,2021
Mar 14 , 2020. By TEMESGEN MULUGETA ( FORTUNE STAFF WRITER )
A local import and export firm is gearing up to open a lounge inside the newly built terminal inside Bole International Airport within two months.
NHY Import & Export, which is expected to open a cafeteria to serve transit customers, is importing furniture and other materials for the cafe from Italy. NHY invested 40 million Br to import the materials and furnish the lounge, which will employ 108 people.
Resting on a 667Sqm area, the lounge will provide service to VIPs, economy and business class transit passengers. NHY, which was awarded a 15-year contract to serve customers at the premises, is currently in the process of recruiting employees.
The tender to lease the space to provide franchised café and restaurant services, duty-paid retail services, and baggage wrapping services at Bole International Airport was floated last year. NHY won the bid to operate the lounge with the arrangement of sharing a portion of its annual sales with the airline.
The lounge will have a seating area, a restaurant for fast food, a business centre, work stations equipped with internet and computers, and a smoking room. It will also provide alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
"We want to provide the service to respond to the growing demand of passengers," said Nurhussen Yassin, CEO of NHY, which was established two decades ago.
The Airport operates two terminals: the first terminal is dedicated to domestic flights, the Middle East and some African countries. while the second terminal is committed to all other international flights. The Airport has another lounge that provides similar service to users of Cloud Nine, Star Alliance Platinum, Gold and Silver members, as well as Sheba Miles rewards programmes.
The total number of passengers who stepped on board Ethiopian's aircraft in 2019 was 12.1 million.
Ethiopian Airlines, the national carrier, netted an operating profit of 260 million dollars on four billion dollars in operating revenues in the last year. The airline has more than 100 international destinations, 19 domestic routes and 39 freighters.
It inaugurated the new passenger terminal at Skylight Hotel on January 27, 2019, in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD). The passenger terminal features the latest technology security systems, self-check-in machines, a self-boarding system, comfortable lounges and duty-free shops. Skylight Hotel has 373 rooms, a Chinese restaurant and a conference hall that can accommodate 2,500 people.
NHY is an importer and distributor of food and beverages in Ethiopia with an annual turnover of over 33 million dollars and 500 employees. Founded by Nurhussen Yassin, NHY has been serving passengers at the old terminal for the last 15 years.
Wondwossen Tegegn, a hotel consultant and managing director of Seven Glory Consultant, appreciates the opening of the service but wishes ordinary customers would be able to afford the services.
"To provide good service," said Wondwossen, "the firm should allocate some budget for the training and development of employees."
PUBLISHED ON
Mar 14,2020 [ VOL
20 , NO
1037]
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