(Reuters) -Ethiopian Airlines has agreed to purchase eight Boeing 777-9 widebody jets, with potential for up to 12 additional aircraft orders, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday. Major airlines are in a race to place new orders for fuel-efficient widebody jets to keep operating costs down and to cater to booming international travel demand. The order from Ethiopian Airlines comes as Boeing faces increased scrutiny due to a Jan. 5 incident when a door plug blew off a brand new 737 MAX plane mid-flight. Boeing's 777X program, which has seen hundreds of jet orders from airlines across the world, has been plagued by five years of delays. Ethiopian Airlines' selection of 777-9 jets makes the carrier the first 777X customer in Africa and is in addition to its 2023 order of 11 787 Dreamliner and 20 737 MAX jets.

Source: Ethiopian News March 05, 2024 17:04 UTC