GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, has delivered a new leased Boeing 777-200LRF aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines.
A second 777-200LRF is scheduled for delivery next month. The aircraft will expand and modernize the carrier’s freighter fleet.
“GECAS helped Ethiopian obtain the aircraft it needed sooner for its freighter fleet modernization, and with all of the capital-investment savings of leasing,” said Jonty Nel, senior vice president and region manager for Africa and the Middle East for GECAS. “We are delighted to expand our relationship with Ethiopian on the cargo side.”
GECAS currently leases two Boeing 737-700NGs and one 757-200 to Ethiopian, a GECAS customer since 1993.
Ethiopian Cargo Services currently operates six dedicated freighter aircraft -- two 747-200Fs, two MD-11Fs and two 757-260Fs-- on a charter and scheduled basis to more than 40 cargo destinations within Africa and around the world from its hub in Addis Ababa. Typical outgoing cargo includes frozen meat, fruit, semi-processed (finished) leather, vegetables, flowers, carpet and rugs, chilled meat and frozen fish products. Typical incoming cargo includes chemicals, equipment and machinery, spare parts, electronics, garments, medicines and tea.