Airbus has signed a Flight Hour Services (FHS) agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, covering the maintenance of a fleet of 24 A350 aircraft, including the A350-900 and A350-1000 models. This agreement will provide Ethiopian Airlines with on-site stock at their facilities in Addis Ababa, access to Airbus material pools worldwide, and repair and engineering support for a wide range of critical rotating parts.

Benefits of the FHS Agreement

This agreement will allow Ethiopian Airlines to benefit from Airbus’s engineering expertise, ensuring guaranteed component availability, quick access to parts, and optimized maintenance processes. This will minimize aircraft downtime and maximize operational reliability.

Ethiopian Airlines’ Goals

Retta Melaku, Director of Operations at Ethiopian Airlines, emphasized the importance of the agreement:

“As the first African operator of the A350 Family, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability in our fleet. This FHS agreement will help us build a long-term partnership with Airbus, optimize our operations, reduce maintenance delays, and continue to provide our passengers with the best in safety, comfort, and service.”

Airbus’s Vision

Laurent Negre, Vice President of Customer Services for Africa and the Middle East at Airbus, stated:

“This partnership strengthens Airbus’s commitment to offering tailored maintenance solutions that support airlines in reaching the highest levels of operational efficiency. We are proud to support Ethiopian Airlines with our Flight Hour Services solution to increase fleet reliability and simplify maintenance operations for their A350s.”

Airbus’s FHS Solution

Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) offers a solution designed to help airlines control maintenance costs while ensuring component reliability and availability. FHS helps carriers optimize their operations and increase fleet reliability by providing integrated inventory, on-site stock, and specialized repair and engineering support. Currently, more than 1,400 aircraft worldwide are part of Airbus FHS agreements.

Ethiopian Airlines and Airbus’s Long-Term Partnership

Ethiopian Airlines is the first African carrier to operate the A350-900, which it began using in June 2016, and the A350-1000, which will join its fleet in November 2024. This agreement further solidifies the long-term partnership between Airbus and the airline.