Ethiopian Airlines has ordered eight Boeing 777-8 Freighters and two 777 Freighters in Addis Ababa, adding near-term capacity and a future long-haul cargo platform to its fleet. The deal makes the carrier the first African airline to buy the 777-8F, with rights to acquire eight more of the type later.
The agreement was signed by Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Mesfin Tasew and Boeing on Wednesday. The two 777Fs are intended to strengthen current operations, while the 777-8Fs will bring higher payload and improved efficiency once they enter service. Boeing places Ethiopian among its largest cargo customers in Africa, with the airline already flying 12 777 freighters, three 767 freighters and four converted 737s.
Ethiopian’s cargo network spans more than 70 markets across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Tasew linked the purchase to rising freight demand and the need for more payload, flexibility and sustainability. Reuters reported the catalogue value of the 10-aircraft package at about $5 billion, while the actual commercial price remains confidential.