Ethiopian Airlines Group has established a program to convert the Boeing 767-300ER passenger aircraft into freighters in a partnership agreement with conversion specialist Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam said: ‘’In line with our Diversified Aviation Business Model of Vision 2025, we have been increasing our cargo capacity in fleet, ground service infrastructure and cargo connectivity network.
“Accordingly, we are partnering with IAI, one of the global technology leaders in the Aerospace industry, in building a cargo conversion center in our MRO facilities in Addis Ababa Airport.”
The cargo conversion center will commence business with three Ethiopian Airlines-owned B767-300 aircraft and will expand its services to all airlines in Africa and the wider region.
Added Tewolde GebreMariam: “We are very happy that we are able to collaborate with IAI to enable us to expand our cargo and logistics services which is already the largest and leading cargo network in Africa.
“The capacity building will also help us expand our MRO services with cutting edge technology and knowledge transfer.”
Yossi Melamed, IAI’s Executive VP and General Manager of Aviation Group, said: “We are witnessing a sharp rise in the demand for cargo aircraft as a result of the rise in e- commerce, which has peaked to record levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“IAI has an excellent reputation as a conversion center of passenger-to-freighters aircraft, and we are constantly receiving requests to open such conversion centers in more and more locations around the world.
“I am excited by the opening of the current center in Ethiopia and thank my colleagues in Ethiopian Airlines for the trust they have put in IAI’s Aviation Group, as the world’s leader in conversions.”
The new passenger-to-freighter conversion centre will provide solutions for the rising demand for cargo aircraft of B767 models. The conversion line in Ethiopia will join existing conversion sites IAI operates at its campus in Ben Gurion International Airport and in Mexico.
Ethiopian MRO, with its internal capacity, temporarily converted 25 passenger aircraft to boost its cargo capacity as demand to transport emergency medical supplies soared.
