(Posted 12th October 2024)
Ethiopian Airlines will take delivery of Africa’s first Airbus A350-1000 this October. The airline ordered initially four of the largest A350 family member in 2022. The new aircraft has already been registered as ET-BAW and is configured in a two class layout of 46 seats in business class and 349 in economy, for a total of 395 seats. Ethiopian Airlines, unlike many other airlines, has so far opted out of introducing a premium economy class.
About 12% of the aircraft’s capacity will be dedicated to business class, a higher proportion than all other widebodies in its fleet which in comparison are: the A350-900 (9%), 777-300ER (9%), 787-8 (9%), 787-9 (10%), and 777-200LR (11%).
The A350=1000 will be the airline’s second-highest capacity aircraft after the Boeing B777-300ER which offers 399 seats.
It is expected that the aircraft will enter commercial service on the 02nd of November with a return service to Lagos / Nigeria before being deployed to London Heathrow the following day, 03rd of November, adding a 14 percent capacity increase compared to the now in service A350-900 (47 extra seats) – notably the increase in business class seats from 30 in the A350-900 to then 46 in the A350=1000.
Loadfactors on the LHR to ADD services are according to a well informed source standing at over 90 percent, making a capacity increase a sound decision.
