Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Continents best-managed airline in mid August received the long awaited composite jet – the Boeing 787 Dreamliner – becoming the first African operator to fly this new range of aircraft. The airline took all the bragging rights, beating its rival for African routes Kenya Airways, which will take delivery of the model late 2013.
“It’s time for Africa,” said Ethiopian Airline CEO Ato Tewolde Gebremariam.
With the Dreamliner and the psychological boost that comes with it, Ethiopian has risen above its rivals, and heightened the fight for African skies with mainly Kenya Airways and South African Airways.
Their fight for key routes such as Nairobi, Addis Ababa and West Africa, has been vicious, with some deploying half-empty coaches just to make a point.
Ethiopian Airline, arguably the best-managed flight operator in Africa, became the first in the world outside Japan and ahead of any airline in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East to operate the Dreamliner, the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft in the market.
In fact, Ethiopian has placed a firm order of 10 Dreamliners and will be receiving five before December 2012. The government-run airline, the fastest growing in Africa, took delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner on August 12 in Seattle, Washington, and christened it ‘African First’.
“Today begins the first day in a new era of flying for our passengers and brings us even closer to our vision for the future,” Mr GebreMariam said.“This airplane is going to move Ethiopian Airlines to the forefront of aviation leadership around the globe.”
From August 19 , Ethiopian Airlines’ Dreamliner began operation on rotation to 15 African destinations including among others, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa, Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi, Entebbe, Lagos, Johannesburg, Abuja, Malabo, Douala, Lome, Accra, Maputo, and Luanda.
Destinations outside Africa that will be graced by the Dreamliner are Dubai, Mumbai, Rome, London, and Frankfurt. After receiving its second Dreamliner, Ethiopian plans to deploy the aircraft on its Washington D.C. route, starting from mid-September 2012.
The Boeing 787 range of aircraft provides airlines with fuel efficiency of up to 20%, according to Boeing, which adds that composite materials make up 50% of the primary structure including the fuselage and wing. United Airlines and Air India received their first Dreamliners in July.
The Dreamliner offers passengers greatly enhanced on-board comfort, with significantly reduced noise, higher level of humidity, bigger windows and unique lighting system. The 787 Dreamliner programme has been plagued with delays.
In 2005, Ethiopian Airlines signed a contract for a firm order of 10 airplanes, but the first was delivered just last month, five years late. However, Mr GebreMariam brushed off the delay.
“As the saying goes, all good things come to those who only wait,” he said Ethiopian Airlines will offer business and economy class services on the Dreamliner. As this is an international plane, all seats are equipped with in-flight entertainment.
“The cabin is light and airy, in large part due to the new Boeing Sky interior and the 787s enlarged windows,” says NYC Aviation website.
“It also features LED lighting.” In Business class — known as Cloud Nine — Ethiopian eliminated the central overhead bins, giving an open feel to the already spacious cabin. Other subtle additions to business class are the power ports at each seat, designed for both African and US AC plugs. Kenya Airways got a taste of the Dreamliner in December 2012 when Boeing sent its new 787 Dreamliner to at least four countries on two continents during a six month world tour.
The “Dream Tour” showcased the aircraft to customers around the world, giving buyers the opportunity to step aboard the third test plane, which had been retrofitted for passenger use.
“The 787 Dreamliner is a game-changing airplane and we’re delighted to be able to bring this innovative product to our customers who will soon be receiving their own 787s,” said Mr Ray Conner, vice-president of Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“This airplane is now changing the way the world flies, and we want to share that excitement with as many people as we can.”
The tour kicked off with a visit to China during the week of December 4 to 11 and included stops in Beijing, Guangzhou and Haikou as well as Civil Aviation Administration of China, Air China, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, Aviation Industries of China and Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Co.
The airplane then went to the African launch-customer Ethiopian Airlines and fellow African buyer, Kenyan Airways, in Addis Ababa and Nairobi, respectively, on December 11-16. And Kenya Airways is not sitting pretty. The listed airline is set to acquire nine new Boeing 787 Dreamliners to replace its ageing fleet.
The first will be delivered in the last quarter of 2013. The Boeing 787 is a luxurious plane and one unit costs approximately $193.5 million (Sh16 billion) to $ 222.7 million (Sh19 billion) depending on the type of jumbo jet.
Kenya Airways is set to acquire nine of them over the next few years. Kenya’s national flag carrier did a rights issue to raise Sh22 billion to partly purchase the new-generation planes ahead of a planned routes and flights expansion. KQ’s ambitious programme, which is scheduled for completion in 2021, will include fleet expansion and growth of destinations.
Under this strategy Kenya Airways plans to increase its passenger fleet from 34 aircraft last year to 107 in 2021 and grow its freighter fleet by 12 in a similar period.
The airline will also increase its destinations from 55 to 115 destinations with increased focus China, India, and African markets.
This story has been published in the September edition of the Nairobi Business Monthly, which is available in supermarkets and vendors.
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