Airbus seals £2.4 billion deal with Ethiopian Airlines for 10 A350-900 aircraft

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest airline in Africa, has placed an order for 10 additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft, enabling further development of its fast expanding long-haul route network.

Last June, Ethiopian Airlines became the first African carrier to operate the A350 when it took delivery of the first of 12 aircraft in order.

They currently operate a fleet of four A350s, two of which are on lease.

Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said;

Operating the youngest fleet in the industry with modern and comfortable customer features in the cabin is one of the four pillars in our 15 years strategic road map, vision 2025, and this order placement for additional A350s is one component of this strategy. The performance, operational and cost efficiencies we have achieved with our initial A350-900s have resulted in these additional ten aircraft order placement.

Rolls-Royce will provide engines to Ethiopian Airlines in a deal valued at £1.2bn.

The Trent XWB engines, which are made in Derby and Barnoldswick in Lancashire, will be used for Ethiopian Airlines’ ten new Airbus A350-900.

The new order brings Rolls’ manufacturing backlog to more than 1,500 engines, representing more than six years of production from its centres in the UK and Germany.

Airbus has won 851 firm orders for the A350 from 45 customers worldwide.

Orders come flying in for Airbus at Paris Airshow