Ethiopian Airways has celebrated taking delivery of its 100th aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, by using the delivery flight to fly medical equipment from a Seattle-based NGO, Direct Relief, to St Paulos Hospital in Addis Ababa. The shipment includes surgical stools and other medical supplies both for patient care and teaching.

Ethiopian, the fastest growing airline in Africa, is in the middle of a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025, which envisages the airline transforming in to a full-fledged aviation group with eight business units. 

The airline operates a mix of Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, and the Bombardier Q-400 double cabin, with an average fleet age of five years. 

Group chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam commented: “It is an immense honour for all of us at Ethiopian to reach the milestone of 100 aircraft. This milestone is a continuation of our historical aviation leadership role in Africa and a testimony of the successful implementation of our Vision 2025 plan.

“Ethiopian was the first to offer jet service in the continent back in 1962, and operated the first African B767 in 1984, the first African B777-200LR in 2010, the first African B787-800 Dreamliner and B777-200 freighter in 2012 and the first African A350 in 2016 and the first African B787-9 aircraft in 2017."

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Boeing senior vice president for sales Marty Bentrott added: “Over the years, Ethiopian has been an aviation pioneer in Africa, flying technologically- advanced airplanes such as the Boeing 777, 787 and soon the 737 MAX as well. We are also proud to work with Ethiopian to continue a tradition of transporting humanitarian supplies on the delivery flight.” 

Ethiopian now flies to more than 110 destinations on five continents.