Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew announced that the purchase of nine new passenger aircrafts was completed during the Ethiopian budget year concluded July 7, 2026.
In a briefing regarding the airline’s 2018 budget year performance, the CEO stated that 897,000 metric tons of cargo were transported through the airline’s cargo services during the year, marking a 16 percent increase compared to the previous year.
He explained that, during the budget year, the airline purchased nine new passenger aircraft as well as eight DA40 NG aircraft, which are used for pilot training. He also noted that renovation and reconstruction activities were carried out on terminals located in different parts of Ethiopia during the budget year.
Regarding efforts to address employees’ housing challenges, Mesfin Tasew said that the construction of houses for around 5,000 employees has begun. He explained that 2,500 of the houses are expected to be completed by January 2019 E.C., while the remaining houses will be completed by the end of the 2019 E.C. budget year.
The CEO further stated that Ethiopian Airlines Aviation University was able to graduate 1,713 students out of the 2,183 students it admitted. He also announced that the airline provided more than 5.6 million birr in financial support for various charitable activities.
Reports show that Ethiopian Airlines has reinforced its position as Africa’s largest carrier, reporting a 20% revenue surge to a record $9.1 billion for the 2025/26 fiscal year despite regional conflicts, according to. Under its Vision 2035 strategy, the airline is aggressively modernizing its fleet with orders for over 120 next-generation jets, including recent commitments for Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 737 MAX aircraft.
While passenger numbers rose to 20.7 million, global manufacturer delivery delays and regional airspace closures pose ongoing operational headwinds. Further expansion is planned with an active tender for 25 additional regional jets.
While persistent aircraft delivery backlogs and geopolitical airspace closures present immediate bottlenecks, Ethiopian Airlines’ massive order books, multi-hub cargo resilience, and strong revenue growth have successfully insulated it from the fiscal volatility plaguing rival African carriers. The airline enters the mid-decade uniquely positioned to break into the world’s top 20 aviation networks under its ambitious Vision 2035 roadmap
