ETHIOPIAN ADDS TWO BOMBARDIER Q400NEXTGEN TO FLEET
(Posted 29th December 2015)
Ethiopian Airlines and Bombardier, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer, earlier today confirmed a firm purchase agreement for two more Q400NextGen planes. The order, when delivered next year, will bring the fleet of Q400’s to a total of 19 operated by Ethiopian Airlines, making it the largest operator of this aircraft type in Africa. Both planes will be delivered in a two class configuration and are expected to serve both domestic and regional routes.
Ethiopian Airlines inhouse MRO is already for some time now approved to carry out heavy maintenance for Q400NextGen aircraft and besides servicing their own presently 17 aircraft has also signed up other African airline, among them RwandAir, to maintain their planes. In addition does Ethiopian Airlines’ aviation academy offer simulator training for pilots of the Q400NextGen, showing the close working relationship Africa’s most successful airline has developed with Bombardier over the past years.
‘We are continuously working to have the right fleet with agility, optimal range, load and passenger comfort which is critical for us to keep our leadership position in the market. The Q400 aircraft continues to be an integral part of our expansion strategy in Africa. Through our strategic partnerships with ASKY Airlines in Togo and Malawian Airlines in Malawi, the Q400 airliner has played a vital role in availing convenient connections, as well as increasing frequencies to support air travel growth in Africa and successfully create a missing link. The Q400 aircraft is also our core fleet to our domestic and regional destinations, thereby ensuring excellent passenger experience, operational flexibility and economics. We continue to work with Bombardier to support and maintain the aircraft through our approved Q400 Authorized Service Facility and our Q400 aircraft simulator’said Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines while making the announcement.
In turn did Bombardier’s Fred Cromer, President Commercial Aircraft respond: ‘The Q400 turboprop continues to make impressive headway in Africa and has proven its ruggedness and reliability in challenging operational environments where its hot and high capability, jet-like speed and high rate of climb are significant assets. Some 69 Q400 aircraft are now in service with more than 20 operators on the continent, and we are delighted with Ethiopian Airlines’ continuing growth and impressive use of the aircraft to satisfy a wide variety of market requirements’
According to additional information provided has Ethiopian won Bombardier’s airline reliability award for this aircraft type for the past five years.
