Ethiopian establishes passenger-to-freighter conversion centre in Addis

Ethiopian Airlines Group has established a global standard cargo Conversion centre at its hub, Addis Ababa to convert the B-767-300 ER to dedicated freighter services.

The airline said the initiative was in partnership agreement with the Israelis’ Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said, ‘’In line with our Diversified Aviation Business Model of Vision 2025, we have been increasing our cargo capacity in fleet, ground service infrastructure, and cargo connectivity network.

“Accordingly, we are partnering with IAI, one of the global technology leaders in the Aerospace industry, in building a cargo conversion center in our MRO facilities in Addis Ababa Airport. The Cargo conversion center will commence its first business with three Ethiopian Airlines owned B-767-300 aircraft.”

Tewolde added that the Cargo Conversion Center in Addis Ababa airport will expand its services to all the regions in Africa as it targets airlines that are willing to boost their cargo services.

“We are very happy that we are able to collaborate with IAI to enable us to expand our cargo and logistics services which are already the largest and leading cargo network in Africa. The capacity building will also help us expand our MRO services with cutting edge technology and knowledge transfer,” he said.

On his part, Yossi Melamed, IAI’s Executive VP and General Manager of Aviation Group said the partnership was informed by the consistent rise in demand for cargo aircraft to service the business world of e-commerce.

“We are witnessing a sharp rise in the demand for cargo aircraft as a result of the rise in e-commerce, which has peaked to record levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“IAI has an excellent reputation as a conversion center of passenger-to-freighters aircraft, and we are constantly receiving requests to open such conversion centers in more and more locations around the world.

“I am excited by the opening of the current center in Ethiopia and thank my colleagues in Ethiopian Airlines for the trust they have put in IAI’s Aviation Group, as the world’s leader in conversions,” said Melamed.

The new passenger-to-freighter conversion centre, which will operate from the Ethiopian MRO centre in Addis Ababa, will provide solutions for the rising demand for cargo aircraft of B767 models.

TW gathered that the conversion line in Ethiopia will join existing conversion sites IAI operates at its campus in Ben Gurion International Airport and in Mexico.

It would be recalled that Ethiopian MRO, with its internal capacity, temporarily converted 25 of its passenger aircraft to freighter to boost its cargo capacity as demand to transport emergency medical supplies soared.