Ethiopian Airlines ( in short), formerly
Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL) and often referred to as simply
Ethiopian, is
Ethiopia flag carrier and is wholly owned by the
country's government. EAL was founded on 21 December 1945 and commenced operations on 8 April 1946, expanding to international flights in 1951. The firm became a share company in 1965, and changed its name from
Ethiopian Air Lines to
Ethiopian Airlines. The airline has been a member of the
International Air Transport Association since 1959, and of the
African Airlines Association (AFRAA) since 1968. Ethiopian is a
Star Alliance member, having joined in .