Ethiopian becomes first airline with 787 scheduled service to Canada

Avatar for Skies MagazineBy Skies Magazine | November 13, 2012

Estimated reading time 5 minutes, 29 seconds.

Emerging out of the heavy morning fog on Nov. 10, Ethiopian Airlines’ first 787-8 operation to Toronto Pearson International Airport on Flight 502 was an instrument arrival. The flight was completed by 787-8 ET-AOR, the second Dreamliner delivered to Ethiopian.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET/ETH) made history on Nov. 10, 2012, becoming the first airline to commence revenue Boeing 787 Dreamliner service to Canada. Flight number ETH 502 arrived to a foggy morning on Runway 05 at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport just after sunrise, having travelled from Bole International Airport at Addis Ababa, via Leonardo da Vinci / Fiumicino International Airport.

Ethiopian inaugurated the Bole-Toronto route with Boeing 777-200LRs on July 17 2012. Toronto became the second destination served by Ethiopian in North America after Washington D.C. Both routes open Ethiopian’s Star Alliance partners to a direct connection to Africa, and Ethiopian to a plethora of route connections into North America on carriers such as Air Canada, United Airlines and US Airways. The Toronto route is the only direct connection between Toronto and Africa. Since Oct. 20, Ethiopian has operated 767-300s on the Toronto route to accommodate lower winter loads. The switch to the 787 has eliminated the need for a fuel stop in Rome on the return flight, ETH503, which is now flying direct to Addis Ababa, a 15+ hour flight.

Ethiopian was the first airline in the world outside of Japan (ANA and JAL) to operate the 787 Dreamliner and also became the first African airline to operate the 777-200LR in 2010 (it has five in service). The airline operates an all-Boeing jet fleet of 737-700s and -800s, 757-200s, 767-300ERs, 777-200LRs, and 787-8s in passenger service as well as 757-200Fs, MD11Fs, 747-200Fs (wet leased from Southern Air), and new 777Fs in cargo operations. Ethiopian is currently in the midst of a huge fleet renewal, with deliveries of an additional nine 737-800s, a sixth 777-200LR, four 777Fs and 10 787s ongoing, as well as more Bombardier Q400s. Ethiopian ordered five 787-8s in February 2005, with five options. It quickly changed the options to firm orders in June of the same year, becoming the first airline to exercise options for the type. It originally anticipated deliveries commencing in 2008, but with the problematic production delays, the last will end up being delivered in 2014. The 787s will eventually replace the airline’s 767s.

Ethiopian 787s In service
The first Boeing 787-8 delivered to Ethiopian was ET-AOQ flying from Everett to Washington Dulles on Aug. 15 2012, where it was formally delivered. It flew a revenue flight from Dulles to Addis Ababa on Aug. 16. It had made its first flight on July 9. The second aircraft delivered was ET-AOR on Oct. 3 (first flight September 12). The third Ethiopian 787, ET-AOS, was delivered on Oct. 23 (first flight September 13). The first and oldest 787-8 built for Ethiopian, ET-AOO, is pending manufacturer’s modifications in order to be deliverable. The second oldest, ET-AOP, finally made its first flight on Oct. 22, after having receiving retrofits to bring it up to new delivery standards.

Ethiopian Airlines announced in August 2012 that its initial 787 service would be on a rotational basis to the following cities until additional aircraft were delivered: Abuja, Accra, Douala, Dubai, Entebbe, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Harare, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, Lomé, London, Luanda, Lusaka, Malabo, Maputo, Mombasa, Mumbai, Nairobi and Rome. Fixed 787 route scheduling commenced after the delivery of the second aircraft. Ethiopian’s 787s made first appearances of the type in a number of major airports worldwide. ET-AOQ made inaugural 787 visits to Mumbai/Bombay on Aug. 25 as flight number with ET621, Brussels – Zaventem on Sep. 10, as ET708 via Milan, Rome on Sep. 17 as ET710, and Sweden Stockholm Arlanda on Sep. 20, as ET714 via Cairo.

In late October, Ethiopian Airlines announced a number of changes to its scheduled Dreamliner operations. Effective Nov. 9, the Addis Ababa – Toronto Boeing 787 service replaced 767-300ER service. On Oct. 24, the Addis Ababa – Frankfurt route started daily 787 service replacing 767-300ER service on flight ETH706/707. The planned Addis Ababa – Mumbai daily 787 service, which was to start on Nov. 25, was cancelled. Addis Ababa – Dubai daily 787 service on ET600/601 will be added in December and daily service from Addis Ababa – Guangzhou with 787s replaces 777-200LR service starting on Dec. 16. Daily 737-800 service from Addis Ababa – Johannesburg is to be replaced by 787s starting December.

Ethiopian Airlines is 100 per cent government owned, and was established on Dec. 21, 1945. It has seen huge growth in the last few years, surpassing US $1 billion revenue in FY 2009/2010, as part of its ‘Vision 2010′ growth plan, generating a net profit of $118 million. The aggressive marketing and cost cutting plan has continued to see increased growth and profit.

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