APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Ethiopian Airlines has announced placing an order to purchase a total of 67 planes from aircraft maker Boeing.
The airlines and the Boeing mid this week signed the purchase order agreement for the latter to start the production of the planes. The agreement was reached during the ongoing Dubai Aviation Industry Fair, where both companies are participating, the airlines said in a statement on Thursday.
As per the deal, eleven 787 Dreamliner models, twenty 737 MAX models, and 36 unspecified jets will be purchased, according to the statement.
The agreement for the purchase of twenty more MAX aircraft was made after the same Boeing 737-MAX-8 aircraft crashed in an accident that happened in Bishoftu (Debre Zeit) Town four years ago.
Boeing will manufacture and deliver the aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines within the next few years, according to the deal.
Boeing mentioned in the statement that such a number of planes has not been purchased by any other African airlines at a time and the procurement agreement will make Ethiopian the first such airlines to place such a huge order.
APA’s efforts to find out the prices were unsuccessful.
Officials of Ethiopian Airlines said that the price of the planes will be determined by the rate at the time of delivery.
It is said that the new planes are improved models and will reduce 20 percent emissions of polluting gasses and 50 percent noise pollution through the efficient use of fuel.
A year ago, the Exim Bank of the United States provided a loan guarantee of $281 million to Ethiopian Airlines.
This money will be used for the purchase of aircraft that the airlines will buy from Boeing, which will create job opportunities for 1,600 Americans.
According to the agreement at the time, the airlines would pay off the debt after taking delivery of the planes.
MG/as/APA