Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing African airline, is pleased to announce that is has received the second next-generation Boeing 737-800 Sky Interior Aircraft. The airline placed a firm order for 10 of its kind back in December 2009.

“As a customer focused airline, we are largely investing on modernization of our fleet. The new 737-800 Sky Interior aircraft is built with the 21st century technology to provide our customers with comfort and style to make air travel an unforgettable experience” said Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.

The new Sky Interior 737-800NG offers several unique features including larger overhead bins. The innovative design allows the bins to hold 48 more bags than the standard overhead bins. Sculpted sidewalls provide customers with a feeling of spaciousness while the updated window makes the windows appear larger.

In addition, it has Brighter and longer-lasting LED lighting systems are installed in the aircraft which can be programmed to create desired effects during flight times, such as soft blue sky overhead. The cove lighting provides a welcoming feel for customers as they board the aircraft. Intuitive placement of switches and call buttons and speakers above every row of seats to improve sound quality are additional features that enhance the customer experience.

The new 737-800 Sky Interior will initially be deployed on Ethiopian flights to the East African tourist destinations such as Mombasa, Nairobi, Dar-Es-Salam as well as Seychelles during the day time and to Dubai, Kuwait, Delhi and Bombay at night.

Ethiopian Airlines is the first carrier in Africa to purchase state-of-the art Boeing 777-200LR with five of its kind in the fleet. The Airline will also receive Africa’s first 787 Dreamliner in summer 2012. Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the most technologically advanced airplane with less fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to other similar sized airplanes.

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa, made its maiden international flight to Cairo in 1946. With the latest addition of new services to Seychelles, Ethiopian provides dependable services to 66 international destinations spanning four continents.

Ethiopian is proud to be a Star Alliance Member. The Star Alliance network is the leading global airline network offering customers convenient worldwide reach and a smoother travel experience. The Star Alliance network offers more than 20,500 daily flights to 1,293 airports in 190 countries.

Ethiopian is a multi-award winner for its commitment and contributions towards the development and growth of the African aviation industry and in recognition of its distinguished long-haul operations enhanced by the introduction of new routes and products. Recently, Ethiopian won Gold in the African Airline of the Year 2011/2012 Awards organized by the African Aviation News Portal. Ethiopian also received the 2011 AFRAA award for being consistently profitable over the years and has won the “AFRICAN CARGO AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2011 Award” for its excellence in air cargo. Ethiopian also won the NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2009 and “the Airline of the Year 2009 Award” from the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

With its acquisition of and firm orders for several new modern fleet, the airline is well positioned to pursue aggressively the implementation of its 2025 strategic plan to become the leading aviation group in Africa.