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My 18 Hour Odd Business Class Experience: A Stop in Lome, Togo?

July 11, 2023 by Payton Turner 3 Comments

an airplane wing and a city

Nonstop Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Nonstop Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. This post may contain affiliate links; please read our advertiser disclosure for more information

From time to time, I will search for a particular flight only to find an interesting route or abnormality, and this happened when I was trying to figure out how I would fly home from East Africa, in particular, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airlines operates a flight from Addis Ababa to Washington Dulles (and JFK) with a stop in Lome, Togo, and I flew it. This is my 18 hour odd business class experience.

a plane with red seats

This article is part of my Trip Report: Starting Summer in East Africa including:

  • My Comically Bad Luck Flying to Africa
  • No Compensation for an Involuntary Business Class Downgrade?!?
  • Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge IAD
  • Review: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD
  • Review: Lufthansa B747-8 Economy IAD-FRA 
  • My First Flight on the Queen: My Thoughts
  • Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge FRA
  • Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge FRA 
  • Review: Lufthansa A330 Business Class FRA-NBO
  • Review: DoubleTree by Hilton Nairobi Hurlingham
  • Review: Air Kenya into the Safari
  • JW Marriott Masai Mara Review: Luxury in the Savannah, a Truly Unforgettable Safari
  • Is the JW Marriott Masai Mara Worth $3k a Night?
  • Review: Aspire Lounge Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO)
  • Review: Kenya Airways NBO-ZNZ E190
  • Exploring Tanzania: My Thoughts on Zanzibar
  • When Flights Don’t Go as Planned: Delayed in Zanzibar
  • Review: Air Tanzania ZNZ-ARK
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro Day Hike: My Thoughts
  • Exploring Moshi, Tanzania: What Everyone Gets Wrong
  • Review: Twiga Lounge by Aspire Lounge Kilimanjaro International Airport
  • Weirdest Flight Delay I Have Ever Had… 
  • Review: Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa Executive Regency Suite
  • Exploring Addis Ababa: My Thoughts
  • Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge Addis Ababa
  • Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine B787-8 Business Class ADD-IAD
  • My 18 Hour Odd Business Class Experience: A Stop in Lome, Togo?

Booking the Ticket

As highlighted in my article, How I Booked 38 Hours in Business Class for $170, I redeemed 104,000 ANA MileageClub miles that I had transferred from American Express for a round-trip business class award from the US to Africa.

On my return, I needed to fly from Addis Ababa to Washington, D.C., to make it home for Memorial Day, which gave me a general time restraint. When I booked the ticket, there were a few options, including flying Ethiopian to Lagos and a United flight to Washington. This issue was that I would have had a 12-hour layover in Lagos, which meant I would red-eye into Washington, which is not ideal. 

an airplane with seats and a screen

The other main option, which I chose, was a direct, emphasis on that word, from Addis Ababa to Washington Dulles with a brief refueling stop in Lome, Togo (LFW). While not as ideal as a nonstop flight between the two cities, it decreased my chances of misconnecting and was the quickest route home.

This meant I would board an Ethiopian b787-8 and fly 6 hours across Africa, land, and refuel before flying another 12 or so hours to the United States. Even though I was stopping in Lome, this was the most convenient option. 

My 18 Hour Odd Business Class Experience

As you can read in my flight review, I enjoyed my time on board Ethiopian Airlines, which featured fantastic hospitality and was a comfortable ride for the long journey. This is the longest flight I have ever been on, clocking in at a total distance of 7,920 miles over 18 hours. 

The weird part was landing in Togo. From everything I read online, I did not expect that I was going to have to get off my 18-hour home, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner I was flying on. However, they instructed us to pick up our belongings and get off the aircraft upon landing. 

We got off the plane and were restricted to the small gate seating area for about 20-30 minutes since there was nowhere to get food or wander the airport. After all, when will I be back in Lome?

a sign on a wall

They announced boarding would begin again, inviting business class passengers to board first. They rechecked our boarding passes and passports. A surprising amount of clipboards and checklists compared to computers, but I made it back on board. 

I was surprised to see all new blankets and pillows left on the seat, as well as new amenity kits and water bottles. This surprised me as everyone took the same seat after returning to the plane. There may have been a few new passengers. However, not enough to make me think restocking the cabin was necessary. But hey, I got two amenity kits, so I am not complaining. 

a bottle of water and a green cloth on a table

Why Does Ethiopian Airlines Stop in Togo?

On the second leg of the flight, I spent quite some time talking with the Addis Ababa-based Ethiopian Airlines crew. They explained that due to the high altitude of Addis Ababa, something I was unaware of, the plane would not be able to take off full of passengers and cargo unless there was a stop. 

I figured the stop was due to refueling, so at least I was right there. Interestingly, some of the crew swapped out for new crew between the two flights, an interesting feat. I also believe that more passengers got on board. 

a runway with grass and airplanes in the background

Further, Ethiopian offers another flight from Addis Ababa to Washington D.C. via Dublin, Ireland. However, on this stop, according to the crew, it is strictly refueling. No crew or passengers are allowed on or off the aircraft for security reasons. 

The Last Point

Getting off the plane for me in a foreign country, only to get back on, was a first for me. While the flight back home was long, it was enjoyable. 

Of course, I would have preferred a nonstop option or at least one I did not have to get off. However, if you are trying to get from Ethiopia to the U.S., I cannot imagine a better option than this direct flight. Despite being 18 hours, it was not a red eye, making adjusting time zones even easier. Overall, my 18 hour odd business class experience was a pleasant one.

Nonstop Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Nonstop Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. This post may contain affiliate links; please read our advertiser disclosure for more information

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About Payton Turner

Payton Turner is a University of Virginia student whose passion for all things travel has led him and his family to the far corners of the earth. While loving the luxurious life of first class, his AvGeek heart is just as happy in the back of the plane taking off on his next adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Justin says

    August 4, 2023 at 12:22 am

    We flew IAD-ADD with a stop in Lome and we did not get off the plane. Then we flew ADD-IAD with a stop in DUB and also did not get off.

    I wonder if it’s just the ADD-IAD where you have to get off!

    Reply
    • SS says

      October 15, 2023 at 8:01 am

      I’m flying ADD-LFW-EWR and had to get off at LFW. Based on crew announcement, it seems to be due to TSA security requirements, which would mean that passengers departing the US are not subject to disembarkation.

      Reply
  2. Mike says

    February 21, 2024 at 2:24 pm

    Was there wifi available on the lome to Dulles portion
    When my friend travelled recently from Monrovia to Dulles she went with ASKY from Monrovia to Lome with a stop in ACCRA then lome to Dulles. But there was NO wifi

    Reply

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About Payton

Payton Turner is a University of Virginia student whose passion for all things travel has led him and his family to the far corners of the earth. While loving the luxurious life of first class, his AvGeek heart is just as happy in the back of the plane taking off on his next adventure. Read More…

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