Flights at Axum and Shire airports in northern Ethiopia remain suspended, US Embassy says

Flights remain suspended at the airports of Axum and Shire in northern Ethiopia, according to a security alert from the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa that was last updated on 6 November 2026. The embassy tells travellers to contact Ethiopian Airlines directly for bookings and operational updates.

The alert says the embassy is monitoring the situation in northern Ethiopia, where fighting continues in the Central Tigray Zone and in remote areas near the Eritrean border, and it warns that the security situation could change at any time. It repeats the advice to reconsider travel to Ethiopia and not to travel to the Amhara, Tigray or Afar regions for any reason, including Lalibela, and says people already in those areas should leave if it is safe to do so.

The suspension affects anyone who had planned to fly to or from either town. The embassy also warns that some social media accounts are publishing false or misleading information, and it recommends checking several reliable sources before acting on reports about the situation.

The alert does not say when flights could resume, how many services are affected or whether other airports in the area are operating normally. Travellers with bookings should confirm the status of their flight with Ethiopian Airlines and check the official travel advice issued by their own government before making plans.