Ethiopian Airlines orders Africa’s first A350-1000
Ethiopian Airlines Group has upsized four of its A350-900 on order to the largest variant of the A350 Family, the A350-1000, becoming Africa’s first customer for the aircraft.
Image courtesy Ethiopian Airlines / copyright Airbus
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.
Mesfin Tasew, CEO, Ethiopian Airlines Group 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 said: ”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.
“The A350-900 has delivered extraordinary capability, fuel efficiency and operational reliability of 99.5% together with unbeatable operational flexibility and efficiency, from short to ultra-long-range operations.”
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 leveraging Airbus’ unprecedented level of commonality and same type rating.
The Airbus A350’s clean-sheet design features state-of-the-art aerodynamics, a carbon-fibre fuselage and wings, plus the most fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB.
