Ethiopian Airlines has signed a firm order for two additional Bombardier Q400 turboprop regional airliners.
The deal will bring Ethiopian Airlines’ Q400 fleet to a total of 19 aircraft, the largest Bombardier Q400 fleet in Africa.
On December 29, 2015, Ethiopian Airlines signed a firm order for two additional Bombardier Q400s, increasing its fleet of the type to 19 aircraft
Based on the list price of the Q400, Bombardier Aerospace values Ethiopian Airlines’ new Q400 order at approximately US$63 million.
“The Q400 aircraft continues to be an integral part of our expansion strategy in Africa. Through our strategic partnerships with ASKY Airlines in Togo and Malawian Airlines in Malawi, the Q400 airliner has played a vital role in availing convenient connections, as well as increasing frequencies to support air travel growth in Africa and successfully create a missing link,” says Tewolde Gebremariam, group chief executive officer for Ethiopian Airlines.
“The Q400 aircraft is also our core fleet to our domestic and regional destinations, thereby ensuring excellent passenger experience, operational flexibility and economics,” adds Gebremariam. “We continue to work with Bombardier to support and maintain the aircraft through our approved Q400 Authorized Service Facility and our Q400 aircraft simulator.”
In 2013, Ethiopian Airlines joined Bombardier’s global network of authorized service facilities (ASFs) for commercial aircraft. The carrier performs line and heavy maintenance on Q400s at its facilities at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa.
The ASF works in close collaboration with Bombardier’s maintenance network of wholly owned service centres and ASFs, as well as with Bombardier’s network of parts hubs and depots, including its Johannesburg Parts Depot.
A full-service Bombardier Regional Support Office is also located in Johannesburg.
“The Q400 turboprop continues to make impressive headway in Africa and has proven its ruggedness and reliability in challenging operational environments where its hot and high capability, jet-like speed and high rate of climb are significant assets,” says Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
“Some 69 Q400 aircraft are now in service with more than 20 operators on the continent, and we are delighted with Ethiopian Airlines’ continuing growth and impressive use of the aircraft to satisfy a wide variety of market requirements,” adds Cromer.
More than 60 owners and operators in almost 40 countries worldwide have purchased Bombardier Q400s and the worldwide fleet has logged more than 6 million flight hours.
The Q400 fleet has transported more than 370 million passengers worldwide. Including Ethiopian Airlines’ new order, Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 547 Q400s.
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