(Photo Boeing)
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES is to purchase eight Boeing 777-9s, with options for up to 12 more. The carrier, which is pursuing a multi-hub strategy through a base in Lomé, Togo, in addition to its main hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is the first 777X customer in Africa. The announcement builds on a 2023 order for 11 787 Dreamliners and 20 737 MAX aircraft. Ethiopian Airlines’ CEO Mesfin Tasew said: "We are pleased to continue setting the trend in African aviation by adopting cutting-edge technologies to enhance our services and customer satisfaction.” The flag carrier’s current fleet includes 19 787-8s, ten 787-9s, six 777- 200s, four 777-300ERs, ten 777Fs, three 767-300s, three 737-700s, 11 737-800s, 18 737-8s. The airline also fields 20 Airbus A350-900s and 31 De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400s. Boeing forecasts Africa's annual air traffic growth at more than 7% through to 2042, the third-highest regional growth rate globally and above the global average of approximately 6%.