Boeing delivers Africa’s first Dreamliner
Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first B787 Dreamliner.
The companies took part in a handover ceremony at the US planemaker’s factory in Washington state this week, before the aircraft flew to Washington DC where it was presented to VIP guests and the media.
Following this, Ethiopian’s new Dreamliner will make its first commercial flight from the US capital’s Dulles International Airport to its new home base at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport.
“Today begins the first day in a new era of flying for our passengers and brings us even closer to our vision for the future,” said Tewolde Gebre Mariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “We are pleased to be the first airline in the world outside Japan to receive this technologically advanced aircraft. We have been waiting for this airplane and now that we officially have it and will show it to the world, I can say with pride, it was worth the wait. This airplane is going to move Ethiopian Airlines to the forefront of aviation leadership around the globe.”
Ethiopian has ordered 10 of the lightweight, fuel-efficient Dreamliner and intends to use the aircraft on a variety of medium- and long-haul routes to destinations including London, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Lagos, Dubai, Mumbai and Rome.
“Ethiopian Airlines continues to show their strong leadership in African aviation and their growing presence around the globe. Being the first in Africa and one of the first in the world further confirms their position globally,” said Van Rex Gallard, Boeing’s vice president of Sales for Africa, Latin America, & Caribbean.
Ethiopian currently operates an all-Boeing fleet comprising B737s, 757s, 767s, 777s and now 787s.