Ethiopian Airlines – ET has so far received Seven and yet to acquire three more the most technologically advanced aircraft – Boeing B787 Dreamliner which is the very first airline on the African continent to acquire this ground-breaking new bird as well as the one having the biggest fleet at the moment which by the close of 2014 is going to have as many as 10 of this kind of aircraft.
Tewolde Gebremariam the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines was quoted to have said as he welcomed the new aircraft that Ethiopia being the flagship carrier of Africa has at all times remained at the top with regards to aviation technology on the continent through offering the most advanced aircrafts to its valued clients. He added that they at the moment have the youngest fleet on the Africa having an average age of seven years. In accordance to their fifteen year strategic plan of fast, rewarding as well as sustainable development – Vision 2025, they will carry on expanding and modernizing their fleet so as to continue offering utmost comfort to their clients.
Currently serving about eighty destinations internationally from their main hub at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, this new type of aircraft has played a crucial role in rising the flight frequencies as well as the destinations as the fight for dominance on the African continent goes on. Of late, Ethiopian has been increasing its destinations, with Vienna being among the latest as well as among the 3 Star Alliance members having the geographical advantage of center location, which connects Star members’ traffic through Addis Ababa to other parts of Africa.
On the other hand, beyond the in Kenya, the Kenya Airways across the border in Nairobi, Kenya Airways has long been making progress in working hard to match up the Pan African carrier through creating a remarkable Africa network as well as by including on their destinations.
In contrast to Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways will gradually retire their old B767-300 fleet and as Five others of their Dreamliners come in this year to become listed on “The Great Rift Valley,” and 3 others at the start of the coming 2015, their B767s is going to be taken back to the lessors or sold-off, Ethiopian Airlines, where this a lot more costly to operates and much less appealing type of aircraft will continue to be in service till may be 2018.
When asked about the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of decision, a Kenya aviator Commented saying that he thinks that Ethiopian Airlines should keep those aircrafts flying right after buying some combined winglets to scale back fuel burn. he added that However he particularly thinks that it is to maintain their fleet numbers high so as to serve their broadened network as Kenya Airways brushed aside this temptation and just will replace their old aircrafts with the brand-new B787s. Probably the way stuff has been happening in Kenya this could be the appropriate decision, in hindsight at least, however it puts the 2 strategies up to be compared, and he personally prefers the Kenya Airways decision, since it offers passengers a fleet that is not only younger and even betters but as well as fuel efficient.
