Ethiopian Airlines Close to Landing Major Cargo Plane Order with Boeing

Ethiopian Airlines is close to placing an order for up to 10 long-haul Boeing freighters, according to two industry sources. The deal would involve two current-generation 777F aircraft and potentially eight to 10 of the new 777-8F cargo model.

The order is part of Ethiopian's plans to establish a new African hub to compete with Gulf carriers. However, this move has put pressure on Boeing to keep producing the 777F, as it will be discontinued at the end of 2027 under international emissions rules.

Boeing has asked for a waiver to deliver an additional 35 777F freighters due to strong demand and delays in the certification of its new 777X model. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has yet to make a decision on this request.