Ethiopian Airlines has leased two GEpowered Boeing 747-200 freighter aircraft from South Air Inc based in the US. The carrier is seeking to tap the increasing airfreight demand for flower exports.
The first B747 will be used for daily services to Ethiopian’s Brussels cargo hub while the second launched its once-a- week freighter services to Hong Kong on 4 January, making the Ethiopian cargo operation a "pioneer" African Airline linking Asia with Africa in this sector, the airline said.
The two leased aircraft will fill the gap until the airline receives two already ordered MD-11 freighters one of which will arrive in December 2008 and the other in August 2009.