Ethiopian Airlines is about to pick its next regional jet. CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele said Saturday in Rio that a decision on 25 smaller aircraft should come within three months.
The airline is weighing three models for domestic and nearby routes: Airbus A220, Embraer E-2, and Boeing 737 MAX 7. The Boeing jet is still waiting on U.S. FAA certification this year.
Bekele didn’t spell out what’s holding things up, just “there are some issues.” The A220 is still losing money for Airbus and faces tough competition from Embraer.
Fuel is the bigger headache right now. Because of the Iran conflict, jet fuel costs are up about 60% for Ethiopian Airlines. They’ve already cut Middle East flights, dropping Dubai from 3 to 2 daily. Bekele said supply worries are fixed, but “the price issue is a serious issue.”
Africa’s largest carrier now flies 147 aircraft. The new jets would help it expand locally and across neighboring countries.
