It now seems that Airbus has just recently revealed that it has an order from Ethiopain Airlines. The reason why this is such a big deal for Airbus is because Ethiopian Airlines is a long term Boeing customer. The order is for 12 of its new A350 XWB aircrafts, in a deal that is valued at $2.8 billion. This now brings Airbus’ worldwide orders to 505.

Ethiopian has now selected the A350-900 to operate from their hub in Addis Ababa on routes to Europe, Asia, and the United States. The carrier does have an order for 10 Boeing 787 Drealiner aircrafts, but this has been affected by delays. The order still stands, and it is thought that the Airbus order is a necessary response, as it may need to lease some planes in the meantime. Normally carriers get discounts for large orders of new aircrafts, especially for planes such as the A350 that are still in production.

The CEO of Ethipian Airlines, Mr Girma Wake, said that they are committed to investing in industry leading technology. This way their reputation can continue to grow. The A350-900 uses new technology to bring superior passenger comfort and a step change in fuel efficiency to the airlines’ expanding operations.

The president and CEO of Airbus, Tom Enders, said that the extra efficiency and cabin comfort will strengthen Ethiopian Airlines’ position as a leader and benchmark in Africa aviation. He went on to say that more than 500 orders from 32 customers is a very clear endorsement that the A350 XWB is shaping the feature of air travel as everyone knows it.