Ethiopian Airlines says it has entered into a code-share
agreement with Air China. According to the airline, the code-share
agreement strengthens Ethiopian's partnership with one of the
global airlines in China, allowing passengers of both carriers to
have wider choices of services between Asia and Africa. Currently,
Air China operates 925 daily departures to 156 scheduled
destinations throughout the world. ET notes that under this
agreement, the two carriers jointly provide fourteen weekly flights
on the Addis Ababa Guangzhou and Addis Ababa Beijing routes. Air
China, a Star Alliance member, boasts of a capacity of 5,090
flights weekly globally.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian recently took
delivery of its first B777-200LR. Boeing says the airplane is the
ultra-long-range Boeing 777-200LR (long range) Worldliner, and is
the first of five 777s the airline ordered in 2009.
With the delivery of its first
777-200LR, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to operate the
world's most technologically advanced and longest-range airplane,"
says Ethiopian's immediate-past Chief Executive Officer, Ato Girma
Wake. The carrier will use the 777-200LRs on new, nonstop service
from Washington, D.C., to Addis Ababa and new long-haul, nonstop
routes like Beijing. Boeing says "the 777-200LR is the only
airplane that provides the range and efficiency that Ethiopian
needs to service its long-haul routes," said Larry Loftis, Vice
President and General manager, 777 program. Provisions for up to
three optional fuel tanks have been added in the aft cargo area of
the 777-200LR to be able to fly a range of 9,395 nautical miles
(17,395 km) with full passenger payload (301 passengers).