Ethiopian Airlines makes history as first African buyer of Boeing 777X

ETHIOPIAN Airlines, the largest carrier in Africa, has reached an agreement to purchase up to 20 of Boeing Co.'s 777X aircraft, providing the coming jet with an important endorsement from one of Africa's premier airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines Group's CEO, Mesfin Tasew, announced the airline has made a firm order for eight 777-9 aircraft and holds options for an additional 12 of these large jetliners, each designed to accommodate over 400 passengers, Bloomberg reported.

With an estimated value of about US$11 billion, the deal offers some sales momentum for Boeing as it works to complete the certification of the long-anticipated jet family.

Boeing has amassed a total of 453 orders for the 777X family, with nearly half of that backlog designated for a single customer: Dubai-based Emirates.

Ethiopian plans to use the 777-9, the largest-ever twin-engine airliner, to reach high-demand markets in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, it said in a statement. Over half of Ethiopian Airlines' existing fleet comprises Boeing models, including 15 737 Max jets.

Despite recent challenges, Ethiopian Airlines has maintained its commitment to Boeing. Last year, the airline announced orders for 11 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 20 Boeing 737 Max aeroplanes as part of its fleet modernization strategy.

That long-standing relationship was strained after one of the workhorse's 737 Max models crashed minutes after takeoff in 2019 after pilots battled a feature later linked to a faulty Boeing design. This crash, the second fatal incident involving the model within five months, prompted a worldwide grounding of the single-aisle aircraft. - Business Insider Africa