Category Archives: Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines signs purchase agreement for 10 firm Q400 aircraft

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has announced it has concluded a firm order for 10 new Q400 aircraft with Ethiopian Airlines. The order also includes purchase rights for five additional Q400 aircraft.

Based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately $332 million U.S.

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Ethiopian Airlines widens its African network

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa, has launched three new flights to Kisangani and Mbuji Mayi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nosy-Be in Madagascar today, March 27, 2018.

With the launch of the new flights, Ethiopian now serves 58 destinations in Africa and more than 100 destinations globally.

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Ethiopian, ASKY sign agreement for strategic partnership with Guinea Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it has signed an agreement with Guinea Airlines, for strategic partnership in management, maintenance and training, on January 30, 2018 at Ethiopian headquarters.

This is a trilateral partnership with Guinea, ASKY Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines with a view to fill the air connectivity vacuum in domestic Guinea market and between the Mano River countries.

Copyright Photo: ASky Airlines under the agreement is likely to operate Bombardier Q400s for Guinea Airlines. ASky Airlines (Togo) (Ethiopian Airlines) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) ET-AQD (msn 4427) STN (Antony J. Best). Image: 910083.

ASky Airlines aircraft slide show:

Ethiopian Airlines is coming to Chicago in June

Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) will launch a new route linking Addis Ababa with Chicago (O’Hare) starting on June 9, 2018. The new route will operate three days a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

On February 5, 2018, airline confirmed the new service with this announcement:

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest Aviation Holding Company in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is pleased to announce that it will commence nonstop flight from Addis Ababa to Chicago (O’Hare) effective as of June 9, 2018.

Fleet	Effective Date	Frequency	Departing Airport	Departing Time	Arriving Airport	Arriving Time	Fleet
ET 0510	9-Jun-18	Tue, Thu, Sat	Addis Ababa	22:15	Dublin	4:25	ET 788
ET 0510	10-Jun-18	Wed, Fri, Sun	Dublin	5:25	Chicago	7:55	ET 788
ET 0511	10-Jun-18	Wed, Fri, Sun	Chicago	9:55	Addis Ababa	7:40	ET 788

West Bound, Passengers from the entire continent of Africa will connect to Chicago and beyond through our Addis Ababa hub in the late evenings; likewise, East bound travelers from the USA will also connect to all over Africa in the morning through Addis. In both cases, the connectivity is designed in such a way that we are able to avail one of the shortest total travel times for our customers.

The route will be operated with a Boeing 787.

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Ethiopian to add the Addis Ababa – Abidjan – Newark route

Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) is planning to add the Addis Ababa – Abidjan – Newark route starting on May 10, 2018. The new route will be operated three days a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners according to Airline Route.

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Ethiopian to help to re-launch Zambia Airways

Ethiopian Airlines (above), the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has announced that it has finalized shareholders agreement with the Government of Zambia for the re-launch of Zambia Airways.

Above: The logo of the first Zambia Airways.

The Government of Zambia will be the majority shareholder with 55% and Ethiopian will have 45% stakes in the airline.

Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines remarked: “In line with our Vision 2025 multiple hubs strategy in Africa, we are very happy that the discussions with the Zambian government have been crowned with success.

The launching of Zambia Airways will enable the travelling public in Zambia and the Southern African region to enjoy greater connectivity options, thereby facilitating the flow of investment, trade and tourism, and contributing to the socioeconomic growth of the country and the region. As an indigenous and truly Pan-African airline, we firmly believe that it is only through partnerships among African carriers that the aviation industry of the continent will be able to get its fair share of the African market, currently heavily skewed in favor of non-African airlines, and play its rightful role in availing efficient air connectivity within Africa as well as with the rest of the world. ” The airline is meant to initially serve national and regional destinations before embarking on international flights.

The Government of Zambia will be the majority shareholder with 55% and Ethiopian will hold 45% in the airline. The establishment of multiple hubs in Africa being an overarching strategy of Ethiopian under its Vision 2025, the national flag carrier currently operates hubs in Lomé (Togo) with ASKY Airlines and Malawian in Lilongwe (Malawi).

The first version of Zambia Airways operated from 1964 to 1967.

Above Copyright Photo: Zambia Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 N3016Z (msn 48266) ORY (Christian Volpati). Image: 920872.

Zambia Airways aircraftv slide show:

The company was reorganized and restarted as the second version in 1968 and operated through 1995 (above).

There was also a Zambian Airways which operated from 1999 to 2009 (below).

Ethiopian Airlines to add a new route to Geneva via Milan

Ethiopian Airlines (addis Ababa) has announced that it will launch direct thrice-weekly service to Geneva, Switzerland on June 3, 2018.

Flight	Eff Date	Frequency	Dep Arp	Dept Time	Arv Arp	Arv Time	Fleet
ET 0726	2-Jun-18	Tue, Thu, Sat	Addis Ababa	23:10	Milan	5:20	ET 787-8
ET 0726			Milan	6:20	Geneva	7:25	ET 787-8
ET 0727	3-Jun-18	Wed, Fri, Sun	Geneva	20:45	Milan	21:50	ET 787-8
ET 0727			Milan	22:50	Addis Ababa	5:50	ET 787-8

The route will be operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

Ethiopian’s fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with seven business centers: Ethiopian Express & Ancillary Services; Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; ET In-flight Catering; and Ethiopian Ground Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

GECAS to lease Ethiopian Airlines the first two AEI-converted 737-800 freighters

Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, a division of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, has committed to lease the first two Boeing 737-800 freighters (737-800SF) converted by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) from GECAS, with the first delivery expected in June of 2018, followed by a second in January of 2019.

Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics provides airport–to–airport services across a network of over 91 destinations on both freighter and belly hold services (including both direct service and arranged connection flights). It is also the largest network cargo operator in Africa. With six 777 and two 757 Freighters serving 39 cargo destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia the America’s and Europe, Ethiopian’s state-of-the-art cargo terminal delivers an annual capacity of one million tons with services that range from general cargo to special cargo (including perishable, valuable or dangerous goods, live animals and mail & courier).

The AEI converted freighter accommodates eleven full height containers plus one AEP/AEH, a main deck payload of up to 52,000 lb (23,587 kg) and has AEI’s hydraulically-operated cargo door, offering numerous key features to cargo operators.

Image: GECAS.

Ethiopian Airlines to add Barcelona

Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Adaba) will add Barcelona as a new stop on the Addis Adaba – Madrid route starting on July 1, 2018. The adjusted route will be operated three days a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

Schedule:

Flight Number	Frequency	Departure Airport	Departure Time	Arrival Airport	Arrival Time	Fleet
ET 0712	Tue,Thu,Sat, Sun	ADD	23:20	MAD	5:50	ET 788
	Mon,Wed,Fri, Sun	MAD	6:45	BCN	8:05	ET 788
ET 0713	Mon,Wed,Fri,Sun	BCN	20:15	MAD	21:40	ET 788
	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun	MAD	22:40	ADD	6:30	ET 788

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said,

“We are very happy to spread our wings to Barcelona, which will be our second destination in Spain, after Madrid, and the 13^th city in our European network. The start of this new flight to Barcelona is part of our global route network expansion plan in line with our strategic roadmap, Vision 2025. The new flight to Barcelona will provide seamless connectivity options for business people as well as tourists from Barcelona to our extensive African network of 58 destinations via our main hub in Addis Ababa.”

Ethiopian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Route Map:

Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines announce an order for four 777F freighters

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have announced an order for four Boeing 777F freighters – the world’s largest and longest-range twin-engine cargo jet – in a deal valued at more than $1.3 billion at list prices.

The deal includes a new order for two freighters. It also includes two freighters the airline announced as a commitment in June that finalized into a firm order and posted on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website this month.

The 777 Freighter is based on the 777-200LR (Longer Range) passenger jet and can fly 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a full payload of 112 tons (102 metric tonnes or 102,000 kg).

This order pushes 777 net orders this year to 57 – 37 of them for the current-generation 777 airplane – providing further support to a smooth production transition to the new 777X.

Ethiopian Cargo is the largest network cargo operator in Africa with six 777 and two 757 Freighters serving 39 cargo destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Ethiopian Cargo opened a state-of-the-art cargo terminal in June 2017 that gives the carrier an annual capacity of one million tons.