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Ethiopian Airlines Close to Deal to Order Airbus A220 Planes

  • Africa’s biggest carrier wants up to 20 of the narrow-bodies
  • Former Bombardier model will serve smaller markets in region
A new Airbus A220 single-aisle aircraft.

A new Airbus A220 single-aisle aircraft.

Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg
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Ethiopian Airlines Group is close to agreeing a deal with Airbus SE for as many as 20 narrow-body A220 planes worth more than $1.6 billion, reviving an earlier plan after a spell using larger Boeing Co. 737s.

Africa’s biggest and most consistently profitable carrier is in late-stage talks about the purchase of the 100-seater aircraft, which should be completed by the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Tewolde GebreMariam said in an interview at the state-owned airline’s head office in Addis Ababa.