Ethiopian Orders more 787, Keeps Airbus Balance

By exercising options on six Boeing 787-9s, Ethiopian Airlines has now exercised all 15 options in a 2023 order. It also brings total Boeing orders to 134 aircraft since 2005, while the African carrier still has 17 unfilled orders with Airbus. The latest order was announced on Monday during a signing ceremony in Washington. They are part of the order for 11 787-9s that Ethiopian and Boeing announced at the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, but which was confirmed a month later. That order included 15 options, of which nine were taken up in December 2025, and the remaining six were taken up yesterday. “The order shows Ethiopian Airlines’ sustainable growth and preparation for further achievements. Growing our fleet size with ultra-modern airplanes such as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, we are further maintaining operational excellence and passengers’ comfort,” CEO Mesfin Tasew is quoted in a media statement. Ethiopian operates Dreamliners to Europe, Asia, and North America, as well as on intra-African routes. Ethiopian Airlines currently operates 20 Boeing 787-8s, of which 10 were ordered in June 2005, 6 in April 2015, and 4 are leased. The 787-9 fleet stands at 10 aircraft. All Dreamliners have Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. In March 2024, Ethiopian selected the 777-9 as its flagship aircraft and placed an order for eight plus 12 options. Airbus While the latest order brings the 787 fleet to 46 aircraft, Ethiopian hasn’t put all its widebody eggs in the Boeing basket. The fleet also includes 26 Airbus A350s. Of these, 22 are -900s, with four aircraft sourced from lessors and 18 part of a direct order for a total of 35 aircraft. The initial direct order was for 12 A350-900s in November 2009, with 10 more as part of a repeat order at the 2017 Paris Airshow. At the 2023 Dubai Airshow, Ethiopian placed another order for 11 A350-900s, followed by another six at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. At the 2022 Farnborough Airshow, Ethiopian also converted four A350-900s into A350-1000s. All aircraft have been delivered between November 2024 and August 2025. [caption id="attachment_191040" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Boeing MAX 8 Ethiopian[/caption] Boeing MAX When it comes to narrowbodies, Ethiopian has never done business with Airbus. It has been a loyal operator of the 737, starting with the -200, later the -400, and still flying the -700 and -800. In September 2014, the carrier ordered 20 MAX 8s, followed by another 10 in 2016, 20 in November 2023, and 11 in December 2025. The November 2023 order was significant, as the airline confirmed its confidence in the MAX despite the fatal crash in Addis Ababa in March 2019 that killed all 157 occupants. That crash, the second of a MAX 8 in less than six months, revealed a major flaw with the aircraft’s MCAS control system and the way Boeing engineers had misled the FAA about its characteristics. At a press conference at the Dubai Airshow, at which the author was present, CEO Tasew said: “The MAX we first acquired was based on features and reducing costs for the airlines. Unfortunately, we faced that accident in 2019, and it remains a very sad memory, not only for us but especially for the families of the victims. But we have confirmed that the aircraft's design defects have been fully corrected by Boeing. We have renewed our confidence in this aircraft, and all passengers can trust it. That is why we want to enhance the number of MAX in the fleet.” Ethiopian currently operates 23 MAX 8s, with 40 still in the backlog. The last delivery of one aircraft was in February. [caption id="attachment_62909" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines 2[/caption] 777-8F MoU Ethiopian’s full freighter fleet is also centered around Boeing, with 12 777Fs in service. They were ordered between 2011 and 2022. In March 2022, the carrier announced an MoU for five 777-8Fs, but this order still needs to be confirmed four years later. The status is unknown, but the MoU could be confirmed once there is visibility on the entry into service of the -8F. The first aircraft is currently in assembly in Everett. It is also likely that Ethiopian will wait and see how the Airbus A350F is performing. The first of two test aircraft has recently begun ground tests and is expected to make its first flight this summer. The European airframer said last year that it is actively engaging with all A350 operators for potential A350F sales worldwide, so this will definitely include Ethiopian.

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