Flags, flowers greet first Ethiopia-Eritrea flight in 20 years

The first commercial flight from Ethiopia to Eritrea in 20 years landed safely in Asmara Wednesday to be greeted by dancers waving flags and flowers, cementing a stunning rapprochement that has ended a generation of hostility in a matter of days. As Ethiopian Airways flight ET 0312 made the momentous switch from Ethiopian to Eritrean airspace, CER Tewolde GebreMariam took to the on-board intercom to remind the 315 passengers they were part of history. “This is the first time that this is happening in 20 years,” he said, to cheers and applause from passengers and crew on the brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Families separated from loved ones since the start of a brutal 1998-2000 border war sat next to dignitaries on the flight, one of two that took off from Ethiopia on Wednesday. The airline marked the departure of the planes, the other a Boeing 737, with a message on its Facebook page: “The bird of peace has just flown to #Asmara #Familyreunion #Ethiopia #Eritrea.”<br/>