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Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of a 737-800 BBJ2. The aircraft was initially delivered in August 2009 and registered as N379BJ. It went on to operate as D-AACM. Its new registration is ET-BBR.
XINATIS Consulting Inc. completed selling and delivering the aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines Group to support the airline’s entry into the VIP and charter market. The BBJ2 aircraft is based on a Boeing 737-800 platform and configured with a customized VIP executive interior and ultra-long-range fuel tanks.
XINATIS is based in Canada and specializes in comprehensive aircraft sales, marketing, and leasing/financing solutions for commercial airlines and business jet operators worldwide.
“The XINATIS team offers a broad spectrum of aviation transaction and financing experience that can be customized to all types of aviation operations. This transaction is a unique opportunity to bring together the commercial airline and executive jet sectors where traditionally, the two are very different business environments. Ethiopian Airlines had been evaluating the possibility of a VIP aircraft for some time before approaching XINATIS to lend our expertise. Our team presented our experience from different facets of the aviation industry to bring together the first transaction of this kind in Africa. It is our great pleasure to support Ethiopian Airlines in embarking on a new trajectory of aviation opportunity development and to assist them on a plan for commercial airline operators to develop VIP charter opportunities with true executive configured aircraft.” said Sameer Adam, President & CEO, XINATIS. “This is just the beginning for African operators and governments to consider aligning resources and operations between airlines and the developing business aviation market on the continent.”
Ethiopian Airlines’ move is another sign that its ambitions continue to grow. With an existing fleet of 737s, this BBJ easily slots into its MRO capabilities. Similarly, it has existing crews to operate it for what will almost certainly be predominantly African heads of state, particularly those without their aircraft.
For these customers, operations run by Africa’s most prominent airline means low operational risk. These operations will probably also be undertaken at lower costs than competing operators, which lack the critical mass Ethiopian offers. Overall, this looks like a win for the airline and a new service that might disrupt VVIP air travel across the continent.
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