It seems Airbus is happier to announce orders now the big airshow of the year is out of the way, with Ethiopian Airlines signing for the A350-1000.
The move will make Ethiopian Airlines Group the first customer for the aircraft in Africa.
Ethiopian Airlines has already ordered 22 A350-900s, of which 16 aircraft have been delivered. With the A350-1000 upsizing, Ethiopian Airlines’ backlog consists of four A350-1000s and two A350-900s.
The A350-1000 will increase the East African carrier’s capacity and it will be an addition to its modern wide-body fleet. The airline will benefit from a flexible, high-value Family leveraging Airbus’ unprecedented level of commonality and same type rating.
In Quotes
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr Mesfin Tasew said,
“We are delighted over the upsizing of the A350-900 on order to the largest variant, A350-1000, that helps us stay ahead of the curve in technology. We are the technology leaders in the continent introducing the latest technology and fuel-efficient fleet into Africa. The A350-1000 is the best fit for our dense routes, and we believe that the upsizing will be instrumental in satisfying the increasing demand of customers in our vast global network across five continents. We will continue on keeping ourselves abreast of aviation technology advancements to enhance our service and fulfil customers’ demand.”
Mikail Houari, President, Airbus Africa and Middle East added
”We are proud of our strong partnership with Ethiopian Airlines – the first airline in Africa to order and operate the A350-900. In another first, Ethiopian Airlines is once again leading the way in Africa’s aviation sector by introducing the A350-1000, the largest version of the world’s most efficient and technologically advanced passenger aircraft.”
Choosing to mix their fleet even further
Whilst the A350-900/1000 same type rating, it enters a rather diverse mix of aircraft the airline has. These include an all-Boeing short-haul fleet (made of up 737-700, 787-800 and 737-8), regional operations with De Havilland Dash 8-400 and the Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9 for long haul operations.
It seems that the A350-1000 has a place in the airline’s fleet – as to what routes it will serve, will show where Ethiopian Airlines wish to direct its capacity.
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Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, featuring in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can follow me on Instagram too!
Also remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
I wonder if this will let them fly Addis to Washington Dulles without having to do a refueling stop. The elevation and headwinds currently make it impossible but perhaps the new planes can make it!