Ethiopian New Airbus A350
Lagos (Thisday) – Ethiopia Airlines has been adjudged as the foreign carrier with the newest fleet of aircraft that operate in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
This was disclosed by travel expert and the organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechi Uko. He noted that the airline has given other carriers that operate to destinations in Africa competitive edge, adding that many passengers now switch over to the East Africa airline from legacy carriers because it maintains the state-of-the-art equipment that fly in the continent.
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Uko was reacting to the introduction of the airline’s latest aircraft, Boeing B787-9 to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja when the flight airlifted 177 passengers to Nigeria’s capital city recently.
He remarked that Ethiopian is not only the most profitable airline in the region but it is the only African operator that is making significant efforts at wresting the African travel market from international operators that do not show strong commitment to the continent besides taking away passengers and generating revenue.
The new aircraft on arrival in Abuja was welcomed by the officers of the Airport Fire Service with the usual water cannon shower to mark the arrival of new aircraft to the airport.
Sales and Traffic Manager, Ethiopia Airlines, Mrs. Firiehiwot Mekonnen, said the new aircraft, which is a 315-seater comprising 30 business class and 285 economy seats, was the newest of Boeing aircraft in the world.
Mekonnen said the decision to fly the aircraft to Abuja was to give passengers the opportunity to experience the comfort of the new aircraft.
She said the aircraft was a month old in Ethiopian airlines’ fleet, adding that the aircraft would be flown to all its 100 destinations around the world.
“We flew in 27 passengers on business class and 150 on economy because we want our passengers to experience the comfort of the newest aircraft from Boeing, the 787. The B787-9 is part of its commitment to deliver exceptional level of service to the African market by operating the latest technologically advanced aircraft in the market. Ethiopian Airlines has always services Abuja with its newest Aircraft. It brought the Dreamliner B787 to Abuja in 2012 and reopened the Abuja Airport this year with the A350 when the Airport was reopened after 6 weeks closure,’’ she said.
The pilot of the aircraft, Capt Michael Yilma described the aircraft as the most economical in terms of fuel consumption and noise.
Yilma said that he was one of the first pilots to be trained on the aircraft, explaining that Ethiopian airline was the second to acquire the B787-9 after Japan.
He said that passengers had enjoyed the unique onboard features of the latest technology aircraft such as on-board comfort and aircraft with the biggest windows in the sky, high ceiling and less noise.
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“And because I have been flying Boeing for five years now, I can say that this aircraft is the best so far. What makes it different from other aircraft is its noise level and it is very economical and the quality of the air in the cabin is superb. It is also more comfortable for passengers because the noise level is minimal and the quality of air they breathe in the cabin is also perfect,’’ he said.
