Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL) and often referred to as simply Ethiopian, is Ethiopia's flag carrier[7] 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.[8] Ethiopian is a Star Alliance member, having joined in December 2011.