The refusal of Ethiopian Airlines to issue flight ticket bookings in Sudanese pounds has sparked intense debate among aviation professionals and economists. This move has raised significant fears that it will further devalue the local currency and severely restrict travel options for citizens.
The airline’s office in Port Sudan recently stopped accepting the Sudanese pound—whether in cash or through digital banking applications—and is now requiring payments to be made exclusively in cash U.S. dollars. This decision comes at a time when the Sudanese pound continues its sharp decline against foreign currencies, with the parallel market exchange rate surpassing 4,000 pounds to the dollar in recent months.
Abdullah Mohamed, a traveler, told the Sudan Tribune that he was shocked to find the airline rejecting the local currency in all forms. He explained that this new policy forced him to turn to the black market (parallel market) to source dollars, calling the entire process exhausting and a heavy financial burden on ordinary citizens.
Murtada Hassan Juma, the Director of Air Cargo at Sudan Airways, strongly criticized the policy. He emphasized that foreign airlines operating within Sudan are legally bound by national laws, including civil aviation, foreign exchange, and consumer protection regulations.
“No commercial entity operating in Sudan can impose financial arrangements that conflict with national regulations or undermine monetary sovereignty without explicit permits from the competent authorities,” Juma stated.
He added that while bilateral air transport agreements generally allow foreign carriers to remit their revenues in convertible currencies, this does not automatically exempt them from local sales laws and currency collection requirements. Consequently, he urged civil aviation and central bank authorities to conduct a formal legal review of the airline’s compliance.
Ibrahim Adlan, the former Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, viewed this crisis as a direct consequence of the economic collapse triggered by the internal war that broke out in April 2023. He noted that Ethiopian Airlines, like other foreign carriers, faces genuine difficulties remitting its accumulated profits due to severe foreign currency shortages within the Central Bank of Sudan.
“The airline fears holding large balances in Sudanese pounds because of the rapid depreciation risks,” Adlan told the Sudan Tribune. However, he warned that forcing passengers to purchase tickets in cash dollars drives them straight to the parallel market, which increases pressure on the exchange rate and directly undermines national monetary policy.
Instead of allowing the crisis to escalate to a potential suspension of flights, Adlan proposed a clearinghouse mechanism. Under this framework, Ethiopian Airlines could use its accumulated pound reserves to settle local operational costs, such as airspace transit fees, navigation services, and other government duties—repeating a successful framework previously implemented in 2021.
Economic analyst Haitham Mohamed Fathi stated that pricing domestic services in foreign currency explicitly violates Central Bank regulations, which mandate the use of the pound for all local commerce.
“Citizens will likely comply out of sheer necessity due to limited competition, as the current security situation prevents other international airlines from entering the market,” Fathi said. He warned that this near-monopoly hurts consumers and urged strict enforcement of national currency laws.
Most international airlines suspended operations in Sudan and disabled Khartoum International Airport after the war broke out. While limited international flights have since resumed via Port Sudan, Sudan’s dwindling production, halted exports, and heavy wartime spending continue to hinder foreign companies’ efforts to repatriate their funds.
