Ethiopian Airlines will operate its new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners to Washington Dulles initially and to Guangzhou from November.
The Star Alliance carrier received its first 787-8 in Seattle on 14 August and flew it to Washington Dulles today. The aircraft will fly on to its base in Addis Ababa on a revenue flight on 16 August, before being operated on a rotating basis to various African destinations.
Ethiopian, which has 10 787s on order, will receive its second of the type in September, says the airline's chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam. It will operate the aircraft to Washington, alternating them on different days with the Boeing 777-200s that it currently uses on the route.
The airline will take delivery of its third 787 in October and fourth in November, after which it will begin flights to Guangzhou with the aircraft, says GebreMariam.
Ethiopian will receive its fifth 787 in 2013 and the remaining five in 2014. The carrier has been compensated for delays to the aircraft programme, says GebreMariam, who declines to elaborate citing confidentiality clauses.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
