November 5, 2024, marked another historic day for Ethiopian Airlines as it took delivery of a brand-new Airbus A350-1000, the first to be operated by an African carrier.
The aircraft joins Ethiopian’s fleet as part of its Vision 2035 growth strategy , which involves significantly growing its fleet, number of destinations, passengers carried, and annual revenue. The brand-new A350 has already been flown to six destinations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East ahead of its deployment on the airline’s key intercontinental routes.
Where has the A350 been to?
Ethiopian Airlines’ new A350-1000 is registered as ET-BAW and named “Ethiopia Land of Origins”. It arrived at the airline’s hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on November 5 after a six-and-a-half-hour flight from Toulouse.
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The second aircraft is expected to arrive in December. According to Ethiopian Airlines CEO Ato Mesfin Tasew, the first unit will be used for promotional flights until the second aircraft is delivered, after which they will be deployed to Washington-Dulles and other key intercontinental destinations.
ET-BAW operated its first commercial flight to Lagos on November 7. Flightradar24 shows that it departed Addis Ababa at 09:31 and landed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport at 12:14. It was welcomed with a water cannon salute, and passengers on the flight expressed satisfaction with the onboard experience.
The A350 returned to Addis Ababa the same day and flew to Dubai International Airport the following morning, making Dubai its first intercontinental destination. After returning home, it flew to Accra, Ghana, and then to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on November 9.
On November 10, ET-BAW flew to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The following morning, it returned to Dubai and then flew to Zanzibar, marking its second destination in Tanzania. Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that Accra, Dubai, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, and Paris are among the airlines’ regularly scheduled A350-900 destinations.
Another first for Africa
Ethiopian Airlines is currently Africa’s largest airline by fleet size, destinations served, and several other parameters. It has grown significantly over the last 15 years, marking several notable milestones and African firsts . It was the first airline on the continent to operate the Boeing 787 and now both the A350-900 and -1000.
The airline ordered four A350-1000s in July 2022. The second aircraft will arrive by the end of the year, while the other two will be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Speaking upon the arrival of the aircraft, Mesfin Tasew said,
“We are thrilled to welcome the Airbus A350-1000 to our fleet, solidifying our position as leaders in aviation technology. This aircraft embodies cutting-edge advancements, offering superior passenger comfort, enhanced fuel efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. Together, we are pioneering a sustainable future for aviation in Africa.”
The new A350 has 46 business class and 349 economy class seats. The business class configuration allows direct aisle access for all travelers. It is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and features Thales’ AVANT Up inflight entertainment system .
Ethiopian’s Airbus A350 fleet
Ethiopian Airlines received its first A350 in June 2016. It is smaller than the -1000, with 30 business and 313 economy class seats. The 20th aircraft was delivered in April 2023 . With the arrival of ET-BAW, Ethiopian now has a fleet of 21 A350 family aircraft, with 14 more expected to join the fleet over the next few years, including 11 A359s and three A35Ks.
Cirium data shows that the airline is flying its A350-900s to over 30 destinations this month, including four times a week to London Heathrow and Gatwick, daily to Frankfurt, Johannesburg, and Milan, and daily to Washington and Toronto.
