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Ethiopian Airlines' CEO, Mesfin Tasew, has expressed concerns over the airline's growth plans due to a recent seven-week strike by Boeing machinists. The strike halted production of the 737 MAX and 777 aircraft, both of which are part of Ethiopian's orders with Boeing.
Tasew stated that the delays caused by the strike would impact the airline's long-term growth objectives. He noted, "Delivery dates of the airplanes that we have ordered from Boeing are still sleeping." Despite Boeing ending the costly strike, resuming full production will take several weeks, leading to further delivery delays for Ethiopian.
The airline has also placed orders for other Boeing models such as the 787 Dreamliner and the upcoming 777X. To mitigate immediate capacity needs due to these delays, Ethiopian Airlines has resorted to leasing MAX aircraft, with four expected to arrive soon.
