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Ethiopian Airlines wants to retire its Dash 8-400 fleet and replace the turboprops with small narrowbodies.
CAIRO—Ethiopian Airlines is ready to place an order for a “double digit” number of Embraer E2s or Airbus A220s, but not until the types’ engine issues are resolved.
“We need regional jets to replace part of our turboprop fleet,” Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele told Aviation Week Nov. 19 on the sidelines of the African Airlines Association annual general assembly in Cairo.
Ethiopian currently operates over 30 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s, which operate domestic routes, but the type is no longer in production and demand has outgrown the turboprops. Bekele wants to replace them with 100-130-seat jets.
After an in-depth evaluation, Ethiopian was almost ready with its fleet selection when problems emerged with Pratt Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engine family, affecting both the A220 and the E2.
“We stepped back to see whether the technology will mature soon, or not. The technology has still not matured. It's an issue,” he said. “As soon as we see a green light on the resolution of the current problems, we will immediately embark on an aircraft order.”
Bekele said the final aircraft selection is “not yet decided.” Neither is the exact number of aircraft. “It will be double-digit, maybe 20 airplanes with 10 firm and 10 options. Around that level.” Ethiopian is just waiting on assurances that the technology will be ready in time for deliveries two to three years from now.
Beyond the regional jets, Ethiopian is scouring the leasing market for additional narrowbodies and widebodies because of Boeing delivery delays. “Most of our orders now are with Boeing,” he said. “Some [leases] are in the pipeline.” For example, a single leased 777-300ER is scheduled to arrive in December.
As for how many leased aircraft Ethiopian is seeking, Bekele said the numbers will be supply-led, because aircraft availability is so limited. “I can’t go out and say, ‘I need five or 10 of this model.’ It is a suppliers’ market, and you don't get many airplanes from this market now. You get one here, two there.”
He added that the Boeing delivery delays are already impacting Ethiopian’s growth plans for both the current financial year and its Vision 2035 long-term strategy. “Four months after our fiscal year started in July, we have not achieved our target,” he said. “There is a slight gap between our plan and passenger numbers.”
Ethiopian typically exceeds its targets. The airline’s original Vision 2025 strategy will come to a close in June 2025, and its results are “much higher” than anticipated, the CEO said. The gap with the revised Vision 2035 strategy is primarily being driven by Boeing's delivery schedule. “Hopefully, we'll close the gap.”
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