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Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest and most prominent carrier, is experiencing significant delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing Co., posing challenges to its aggressive growth trajectory. Despite its ambitious expansion plans, the airline is being held back by supply chain and production issues at the U.S. aerospace giant.
Currently, Ethiopian Airlines has over 100 aircraft on order from Boeing. However, the delivery schedule has slipped behind, undermining the airline’s fleet expansion strategy. The delays stem from a combination of factors affecting Boeing, including ongoing production setbacks, increased regulatory oversight, financial pressures, and recent labor disruptions, such as worker strikes.
“We still have a shortage compared to our longer-term plan,” said Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, in an interview with Bloomberg. “This will continue maybe for the coming two years.” Tasew emphasized that while Boeing is slowly recovering from one of the most turbulent periods in its history, its output has not yet reached a level that aligns with Ethiopian’s ambitious growth objectives.
The airline, which has sustained a strategic partnership with Boeing for nearly 75 years, relies heavily on the U.S. manufacturer. Currently, Boeing aircraft account for half of Ethiopian’s operational fleet.
Despite the setbacks, Ethiopian Airlines remains committed to its long-term growth vision. It anticipates a substantial influx of new wide-body aircraft from both Boeing and European manufacturer Airbus SE between now and 2030, which it hopes will help realign its fleet development goals.
While deliveries of narrow-body aircraft remain largely on schedule, the airline is taking a cautious approach before committing to additional wide-body orders. Ethiopian is currently assessing its existing purchase rights and options with both Boeing and Airbus before proceeding further.
Meanwhile, robust passenger demand is adding pressure to expand the fleet. CEO Mesfin Tasew projects that passenger traffic could rise by up to 15% in 2025, further reinforcing the need for timely aircraft deliveries.
In parallel with its fleet expansion, Ethiopian Airlines is pressing ahead with plans to develop a state-of-the-art USD 10 billion airport just outside Addis Ababa. The new facility is designed to significantly boost the nation’s aviation capacity, with an initial handling capacity of 60 million passengers annually. Once fully completed by 2029, the airport is expected to accommodate up to 110 million passengers per year — more than four times the capacity of the current hub, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, which is nearing its 25 million annual passenger limits.
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To finance the airport megaproject, Ethiopian Airlines intends to self-fund 30% of the investment, with the remainder to be sourced through external financing channels. Despite current headwinds, Ethiopian Airlines remains firmly focused on its long-term vision to become a dominant global aviation hub — but achieving this goal will depend heavily on how quickly Boeing and Airbus can deliver the aircraft needed to power its future.
