Ethiopian Airlines Orders 11 More Boeing 737-8 Max Jets

Ethiopian Airlines Commits to Order 11 Additional Boeing 737-8 Airplanes. Credit: Boeing.

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines announced on Nov. 17 that Africa’s largest carrier has committed to purchase 11 additional Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The agreement for 11 737-8 jets, signed at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, will support Ethiopian Airlines’ plan to expand both its regional and international networks while strengthening its Addis Ababa hub.

“We are thrilled to be announcing our agreement with Boeing for an additional 11 737-8 airplanes today during the Dubai Airshow,” said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew. “This order supports our long-term growth strategy and reflects our confidence in Boeing’s aircraft. We are proud to continue our partnership with Boeing as we expand our fleet and enhance the passenger experience with high-performance airplanes.”

The airline continues to leverage the reliability, fuel efficiency, and range of the Boeing 737 Max on routes across Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southern Europe, where quick turnarounds and frequent service are essential to meeting growing passenger demand.

“Ethiopian Airlines’ commitment to expanding its 737 Max fleet underscores its leadership in African aviation,” said Brad McMullen, Boeing Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “This new agreement strengthens our nearly 80-year partnership with the airline and the region. We are proud that our efficient and versatile aircraft will continue to play a pivotal role in connecting Africa to the world.”

Ethiopian Airlines currently operates the largest Boeing fleet in Africa and maintains the continent’s biggest backlog of 737 Max, 777X, and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737-8, crashed just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa on its scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya, killing all 157 people on board. The disaster, which followed a similar Lion Air crash in Indonesia five months earlier, led to the global grounding of the 737 Max fleet. Investigations later revealed that a faulty flight control system, known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), repeatedly forced the aircraft’s nose down, contributing to both tragedies and prompting sweeping reforms in Boeing’s design and regulatory oversight. See Related News link for all Ethiopian Airlines stories.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, boeing.com