Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for up to 67 Boeing aircraft as it aims to become one of the top 20 leading carriers globally by 2035.
The deal comprises firm orders for 20 737-8 jets, with an option for an additional 21, and 11 787-9 Dreamliners, with the possibility of a further 15, the companies said at the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday.
The orders are part of the Addis Ababa-based carrier's 2035 strategic road map, which include plans to double its fleet to 270 aircraft, Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines Group, said.
The plan calls for the acquisition of more planes and the opening of new routes to boost operations and, consequently, the airline's bottom line, he said.
The aircraft, which are expected to be delivered from 2026 through to 2030, are on top of existing orders for 25 jets, 21 from Boeing and four from Airbus, Mr Tasew said.
“The number of aeroplanes that we are ordering today is just one step forward. We'll continue ordering more as much as it fits our fleet plan,” he said.
Ethiopian Airlines will lease Boeing 787 and Max planes while waiting for the new aircraft, after plane manufacturers' fully-booked schedules meant it could not secure earlier deliveries.
“We are still competing with various international airlines, mostly those from the Middle East and Europe, but every airline would like to grow to compete,” Mr Tasew said.
“Our goal is to develop our internal capacity to enable us to effectively compete … our vision is by 2035, we should be one of the top 20 global leading airlines.”
The African aviation market is poised for marked growth, with the continent projected to require about 1,025 aircraft over the next two decades, Boeing has previously forecast.
Of these, more than 70 per cent of commercial deliveries are expected to be single-aisle jets, it said.
Africa's overall air traffic growth is pegged at 7.4 per cent through 2042, which would be the third-highest among global regions and above the global average of 6.1 per cent, the US plane maker said.
Ethiopian Airlines, the launch customer for the Dreamliner in Africa, has been a Boeing customer for nearly 75 years, and the new agreement is expected to boost the efficiency of its fleet.
“This will enable you to continue to keep the average age of your fleet young,” said Brad McMullen, senior vice president for commercial sales and marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
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