Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) has completed its first B767-300ER passenger-to-freighter conversion. ET-ALO (msn 33768), which has operated passenger flights for the airline since 2004, was recently successfully converted into a B767-300ER(BDSF) by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at Ethiopian's MRO facility at Addis Ababa.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Israel Aerospace Industries and become the first African carrier to successfully complete the passenger-to-cargo conversion of a B767 aircraft," said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew. ADS-B flight tracking data reveals that the freighter re-entered service on September 27, with a flight between Addis Ababa and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta. Since then, the B767 has operated a steady roster of flights to Brussels National, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, and London Heathrow.
"The converted B767 aircraft will augment our growing local and international cargo destinations with more load capacities. We have been working to expand our cargo operation as demand is expected to grow with the establishment of an e-commerce hub in Addis Ababa," said Tasew.
In addition to the B767, Ethiopian Airlines a single B737-800(BCF) and three B737-800(SF)s. The airline has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to acquire five B777-8 freighters and is involved with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada's DHC-8-Q400(PF) conversion program. Recently, ch-aviation reported that Ethiopian Airlines would lease another three B767-300(ERBCF)s from Titan Aviation Holdings.
IAI is contracted to convert three B767-300(ER)s, with the remaining two conversions involving ET-ALJ (msn 33767) and ET-ALP (msn 33769). Ethiopian Airlines says the second conversion has reached "an essential stage of door cutting and will be completed in few months." The ch-aviation fleets module indicates that aircraft is ET-ALJ while ET-ALP is yet to commence the conversion process and remains the last passenger B767-300ER still flying for Ethiopian Airlines.
