Ethiopian Airlines - Fleet

Fleet

In February 2005 (2005-02), Ethiopian Airlines signed a preliminary agreement to buy up to ten Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (five firm orders plus five options), becoming the first African carrier in ordering this kind of equipment. On 31 May 2005, Boeing announced that Ethiopian had exercised its purchase rights and confirmed a firm order for ten aircraft. The carrier also became the first African airline in ordering the Boeing 777-200LR, and the first of these aircraft Ethiopian took possession of, in November 2010 (2010-11), was the 900th model of the type delivered by Boeing.

In August 2010 (2010-08), Ethiopian and the Ex-Im Bank signed an agreement worth US$1.6 billion for a loan to finance the acquisition of the ten Dreamliners —the first of them scheduled for delivery in mid-August 2012 (2012-08)—, and the five Boeing 777s the carrier already has in the fleet. The same year, Ethiopian placed and order for 12 Airbus A350-900s, initially scheduled for delivery between 2016 and 2019. To date, this order is the largest placed by the airline, and it evidenced the company's dissatisfaction with Boeing for the delays in the delivery of the Dreamliners, initially scheduled to enter the fleet in June 2010 (2010-06).

In October 2011 (2011-10), the company announced an order for four Boeing 777Fs in a deal worth US$1.1 billion; the move positioned Ethiopian Airlines as the first African carrier in ordering the type. These four aircraft will join another two ones of the same type the airline will lease from GECAS. Ethiopian received the first of these aircraft in mid September 2012 (2012-09).

In July 2012 (2012-07), an additional Boeing 777-200LR was ordered in a deal worth US$276 million. In August 2012 (2012-08), the first Dreamliner was delivered to the company, which became the first airline outside Japan in operating the type on scheduled flights, after All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines; the second Dreamliner was handed over in October, and three more aircraft of the type are expected to join the fleet within the FY 2012/13. In November 2012 (2012-11), the airline confirmed that three additional Dreamliners will be leased from ILFC, the first of them entering service in 2015.