Ethiopian Airlines to Buy 15 to 20 Boeing 777X Jetliners, CEO Says

Ethiopian Airlines plans to place an order for Boeing Co. 777X long-range jetliners before the end of the year, the East African carrier's chief executive said.

The airline could buy as many as 15 to 20 of Boeing's newest airplanes after also considering the purchase of Airbus Group's A350-1000 widebody, Tewolde Gebremariam said in an interview on Wednesday. The deal would have a value of US$7.4 billion at list price, though buyers typically get discounts.

The Boeing plane was deemed more suited to operations from the airline's high-altitude hub in Addis