The news was confirmed in a surprisingly forward LinkedIn post by Telila Deressa Gutema
Regional Manager Asia Pacific Region, Ethiopian Airlines.
In the post, Gutema also called for anyone with availability of long-range jets, specifically the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787, to get in touch.
“I have been driving forward our strategic goal of expanding our services to Australia,” he wrote on the social media platform.
“The groundwork has been laid, and the stage is set for this significant milestone – the missing piece of the puzzle? The aircraft.”
Gutema urged “all aircraft lessors, leasing companies, and owners with A350s or B787 Dreamliners available for lease or sale” to reach out, as Ethiopian Airlines is ready to make deals, with Gutema suggesting he will facilitate the connection with the carrier’s HQ.
According to the airline’s website, it currently has 162 aircraft including 23 Airbus A350s (1000 and 900XWB versions) as well as 19 Boeing 787s (8 and 9 versions) and 11 Boeing 777 (200LR and 300 ER versions).
It also has 31 long-range aircraft on order including eight of the new Boeing 777-9x. Ethiopian Airlines has never had a regular passenger service to Australia or New Zealand.
