Ethiopia signs Boeing deal

2005-04-30 22:27

Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's national carrier announced on Saturday the signing of a purchase agreement for five Boeing 787 jetliners within three years and purchase rights for five more.

The deal, worth $1.3bn at list prices, would make Ethiopian Airlines the first Africa-based operator of the new plane.

"Ethiopian Airlines is delighted to announce that once again it will be the first to launch operations in Africa of this technologically advanced, revolutionary plane," Makonnen Wake, the Chief Executive Officer said.

He said the agreement for the purchase of the Boeing 787 planes heralded a bright future and Ethiopian Airlines would play a major role in the modernisation and expansion of civil aviation in Africa.

"We view this airplane as a cutting-edge solution to bolster our passenger service, improve our efficiencies and add to the airline's bottom line," he added.

Scott Carson, Vice-President of Sales for Boeing Commercial Airlines, said the range of the 200 to 300 passenger capacity aircraft makes it ideal for long services across Africa and other parts of the world.

Carson, who signed the purchase agreement on behalf of Boeing, praised the partnership with the airline over the past 50 years.

Ethiopian Airlines presently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 737 and 767 planes. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA