Ethiopian Airlines set for further fleet expansion and network growth

Airspace Africa | Ethiopian Airlines Group has successfully rebounded to pre-pandemic operational levels and is now focused on further expanding its fleet and network, according to the company’s CEO, Mesfin Tasew. Speaking to aviation daily at the IATA AGM in Istanbul, Tasew expressed the airline’s optimism and outlined its ambitious plans for the future.

With around 140 aircraft currently in operation, Ethiopian Airlines Group is forecasting a fleet size of 271 aircraft by 2035. To achieve this, the airline is considering the addition of at least 130 more aircraft, as older planes will need to be replaced. Tasew stated that the next round of aircraft orders is expected to be made by the end of the year, with a mix of narrowbody and widebody aircraft being sought.

Tasew mentioned that the Embraer E2 series and the Airbus A220 are potential candidates for the lower end of aircraft size, while the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo are being considered as narrowbody contenders. On the widebody side, the airline is evaluating the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350-1000 for its order.

As of June 5, Ethiopian Airlines’ order book consists of 29 aircraft, including 17 Boeing 737 MAXs, five Boeing 777Fs, one Boeing 787-9, and six Airbus A350-1000s.