Ethiopian flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for eight Boeing 777-9X airliners with options for an additional 12.
Ethiopian Airlines will be the first African operator of Boeing’s flagship. It currently operates four of the aircraft’s direct predecessor, the 777-300ER, and six smaller 777-200LR. The rest of the airline’s long haul fleet consists of nine 787-9s, 18 Boeing 787-8s and 20 Airbus A350-900s. It also operates ten Boeing 777F freighters.
The Boeing 777-9X is currently Boeing’s largest commercial offering, following the end of the Boeing 747-8 program. The aircraft is currently in its flight test program phase, with certification and deliveries to follow in 2025, a full six years after the originally planned service entry date. Lufthansa is currently set to be the launch customer for the aircraft.
Matt is a Berlin-based writer and reporter for International Flight Network. Originally from London, he has been involved in aviation from a very young age and has a particular focus on aircraft safety, accidents and technical details.
