The European consortium Airbus is providing technical assistance to Ethiopian Airlines in the areas of preparedness to phase in new Airbus aircraft next year for the first time in its 70 year history.
In 2009 Ethiopian placed firm orders for 14 Airbus A350XWB aircraft and the first two will arrive in Addis Ababa in May and June 2016. Executives of Airbus told The Reporter that technical experts of Airbus are closely working with their counterparts at Ethiopian on technical issues.
On the sidelines of the Airbus Innovation Days held at the headquarters of Airbus in Toulouse, France Kiran Rao, executive vice president strategy and marketing, told The Reporter that Airbus is training Ethiopian cockpit crew, aircraft maintenance technicians, and engineers. Rao said Airbus aircraft are ideal for Ethiopian Airlines.
“Airbus aircraft is extremely well suited to the Ethiopian environment. The reason for that is Addis Ababa has a high elevation. When you are at high altitude you have to have airplanes with very good takeoff performance. The A320, A330, and A350 deliver absolute best takeoff performance at high altitude and when you do that they give the airline the ability to fly further distances. All Airbus aircraft have better takeoff performance ideally suited to the Ethiopian environment,” Rao told The Reporter.
The management of Ethiopian Airlines placed firm orders for the purchase of 12 Airbus 350XWB in 2009. The order was confirmed at the 2009 Dubai Air show. The other two A350s that will arrive Addis Ababa next year are leased. Ethiopian a reliable customer of Boeing for over six decades ordered Airbus aircraft for the first time. The national flag carrier operates all Boeing long-haul fleet.
The total listed price of the 12 A350s is 2.9 billion dollars. The new jetliners are scheduled for delivery between 2017-2019. A350XWB is Airbus new product that made its maiden flight in June 2013.
Powered by the Rolls Royce Trent Engines, the Airbus A350XWB is known for its specious cabin. The new jetliner is a rival of the Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft. The A350 family has 800, 900 and 1000 versions with 250-350 seats.
Qatar Airways is the launch customer. Ethiopian Airlines is the first carrier from Sub Saharan Africa to order the A350 aircraft at the Dubai Air show in 2009.
