Ethiopian Airlines has ordered six more Boeing 787-9 aircraft, exercising the last of its options from a 2023 order.
The new aircraft will be used to expand the Star Alliance operator’s intercontinental network from its Addis Ababa hub, amid expectations that long-haul travel demand will continue to rise.
The options were taken from an order Ethiopian placed at the Dubai air show in 2023, where it signed for 11 787-9s with options for 15 more. In January this year, it exercised options for nine 787s, which it says will be delivered between 2031 and 2033.
Neither Ethiopian nor Boeing disclosed the delivery timeline for the additional 787s. They also did not specify the engine selection for the new aircraft.
Ethiopian, which operates both the 787-9 and 787-8 variants, has aircraft fitted with both Rolls-Royce Trent 1000s and GE Aerospace GEnx-1Bs.
The latest fleet expansion comes as work gets underway for the construction for the airline’s new hub – Addis Ababa’s Bishoftu international airport. The groundbreaking ceremony for the airport took place on 10 January, with completion scheduled for 2030.
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