Ethiopian Airlines takes delivery of its first A350 XWB

First African operator

Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft, opening a new chapter for the East African carrier, which also becomes the first African A350 XWB operator. The airline’s first aircraft, on lease from AerCap, arrived in Addis Ababa on June 29th, 2016.


A350-900s with a two class layout with a total of 343 seats comprising 30 in Business Class and 313 in Economy Class. The spaciousness, quietness, beautiful interior and mood lighting in the cabin contribute to superior levels of comfort and well-being, setting new standards in terms of flight experience for all passengers.

Altogether Ethiopian Airlines has ordered 14 Airbus A350 XWBs – the world’s most modern long-haul, wide body jetliners. Twelve of these are being directly ordered from Airbus, with the other two aircraft on lease from AerCap.

The carrier will deploy the aircraft on its expanding route network connecting Addis Ababa with destinations in Asia and America.
The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon-fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions in addition to significantly lower maintenance costs.


To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 802 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 42 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.