Ethiopian Airlines Group, Africa’s largest A350 customer, solidified its commitment to Airbus with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 11 additional A350-900s and six purchase rights at the Dubai Airshow.
With a current fleet of 20 A350-900s, this move brings the airline’s total order book for the A350 to 33, including four A350-1000s.
Mesfin Tasew, the CEO, expressed excitement about expanding the fleet, highlighting the A350’s passenger-friendly features.
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Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, praised Ethiopian Airlines’ strategic use of the A350 for long-haul travel and celebrated the strengthened partnership with the addition of these advanced aircraft, known for their modern design, efficiency, and environmental advantages.
Following the conclusion of the Dubai Airshow, one question remains a topic of discussion, Airbus or Boeing?
Read also: Ethiopian Airlines never had plans to set up in Nigeria – Group CEO
While Boeing managed to secure almost three times as many orders as Airbus, with 295 compared to 86, respectively, the answer may not be as straightforward as it seems.
The semiannual periodic event seems to have been a turning point for American aircraft manufacturer Boeing. With the grounding of its 737 MAX program, production issues with its 787 Dreamliner, and supply-chain problems, airlines appeared to lose confidence in Boeing for a brief period.
Meanwhile, Europe’s Airbus also faced its own set of challenges. Although its A320neo and A220 family aircraft have proven popular, supply-chain issues and production delays have limited delivery slots for the A320neo until 2029.
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