Airbus expects a six month on the A350-XWB aircraft on order by Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier. The delay has not 
caused complications with customers according to Airbus officials.
It is to be remembered that Ethiopian Airlines signed the 2.9 billion dollar agreement for the purchase of the aircraft in 2009.
The deal was signed for Ethiopian Airlines by former airline Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake.
The aircraft expected to come of the assembly line by the end of 2012 was delayed because the main body of the aircraft was delivered to the assembly line later then expected.The earliest delivery of this model expected to be made to Qatar Airlines is now extended to 2014. Ethiopian Airlines was expecting delivery in 2017.
In related news the delegation from Airbus visiting Addis Ababa is expected to promote the A330 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines.
The delegation of Airbus officials in Addis for two weeks includes, Alan Pardoe, Chief of Marketing and Communications, Linden Birns, Public Relations Head for Sub-Saharan Africa, and Susie Crowley Director of Media Relations.
The key thing is reliability not prompt delivery according to Birns.
Airbus has plans to increase its share of the African and Ethiopian market based on a global market forecast that projects airlines in Africa and the Indian Ocean region will require 1,101 new aircraft with an estimated value of 126 billion dollars in the next 15 to 20 years according to Pardoe.
Source: Addis Fortune
