Ethiopian Airlines denies involvement in alleged aircraft wet-lease deal with Russia

Ethiopian Airlines has denied reports of a possible wet-lease agreement with Russia involving its fleet of Western-made aircraft. The rumors began after the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) posted on social media about discussions with Russian representatives that mentioned bilateral aviation agreements, including a potential wet-lease deal for Western jets. The ECAA later deleted the post.

CEO Mesfin Tasew addressed the matter during the airline’s 2024 results press conference, stating that such allegations are “completely false.” He emphasized there was "no such agreement" and called the reports "completely false.” In a statement, Ethiopian Airlines said, “We would like to inform all concerned that Ethiopian Airlines has never been requested or discussed on this topic with any party. Moreover, it does not have any plan or intention to do so. Hence, the news is unfounded."

A spokesperson clarified that while Ethiopian Airlines is fully owned by the government, decisions about its fleet rest solely with the airline and not with the ECAA. This distinction was reiterated by Tasew at the AviaDev Africa conference in June 2025, where he said that despite state ownership, Ethiopian Airlines maintains full operational autonomy.