● ETHIOPIA: Class of 2012 graduates from the Ethiopian Aviation Academy.

At a ceremony held in Addis Ababa on 13 November, 255 trainees graduated from the Ethiopian Aviation Academy schools of aviation maintenance, marketing and cabin crew. Of the 255, one hundred and fifty are maintenance technicians (of whom four are Tanzanian nationals), sixty cabin crew and forty four are marketing trainees.

►► SOUTH AFRICA: Ethiopian delays B787 service to Johannesburg 'til December.

[UPDATED 8 NOVEMBER 2012] Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to further delay its planned deployment of the Boeing 787 on its daily Ababa – Johannesburg, South Africa route until 30 November 2012. The route will remain at a Boeing 737-800.

►► ZAMBIA: Ethiopian to operate 787/777 service to Harare & Lusaka for duration of October.

[UPDATE 7 NOVEMBER 2012] Despite having previously announced that its originally intended Boeing 787  Dreamliner service from Addis Ababa to Harare, Zimbabwe and Lusaka, Zambia was cancelled, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has loaded a 6x weekly Dreamliner service onto the route, with a Boeing 777-200LR once weekly starting 30 September 2012 and valid until 27 October 2012.

►► INDIA: Ethiopian goes daily 787 to Mumbai from November.

[UPDATE 7 NOVEMBER 2012] With its third Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (MSN: 34747 | ET-AOS) now just recently delivered, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced the launch of daily 787 flight from Addis Ababa to Mumbai, India, effective 25 November 2012.

■ ETHIOPIA: EAE to expand Bole International Airport as Ethiopian Airlines mulls cancelling its 5* hotel project tender.

The Ethiopian Airport Enterprise (EAE) is to expand the existing passenger terminal at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport in the coming months and years, with design work already in progress.

■ ETHIOPIA: New Addis Ababa International Airport gets prime ministerial consent.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, has given the go ahead to the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise to proceed with plans for a new Addis Ababa international airport, to be constructed near the town of Modjo.

►► GHANA: Ethiopian makes various operational changes to Accra, Abidjan, Cotonou, Lomé and Ouagadougou flights from late November.

Effective 25 November 2012, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will adjust its operations to Accra, Abidjan, Cotonou, Lomé and Ouagadougou service. Of particular interest is that Accra will receive a daily 787 service, replacing its current 757.

■ UNITED STATES: Ethiopian Airlines, ILFC sign lease deal for three 787s.

US based aircraft lessor specialists, the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), yesterday announced the signing of a deal with Ethiopian Airlines (ET), for the lease of three Boeing 787-8 aircraft, of which Ethiopian currently has three (with a further seven due for delivery).

► MALAYSIA: Ethiopian Airlines, Malaysia Airlines set for closer ties from early 2013 on.

Fresh from the launch of its Addis Ababa - Kuala Lumpur route launch yesterday, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced that plans to set up possible a code share and pro-rate agreement (an agreement between airlines to give each other a fixed price for interlining) with Malaysian carrier, Malaysian Airlines (MH), are at an advanced stage and could come to fruitition "as early as next year, 2013."

► ETHIOPIA: Etihad postpones Addis Ababa launch citing "Ethiopian CAA rejection".

Abu Dhabi based carrier Etihad Airways (EY) has announced the indefinite postponement of its inaugural Abu Dhabi - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia flight, set to begin this Friday, 2 November 2012.

■ ETHIOPIA: Lufthansa Technik lands MRO deal for Ethiopian's 787s.

Germany's Lufthansa Technik have signed a 10 year deal with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) that will see the Hamburg-based MRO specialists providing component support for Ethiopian's growing fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

► CANADA: Ethiopian announces 787 ops to Toronto & Frankfurt for Winter 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced further adjustments to its planned Boeing 787 operations. Frankfurt, Germany will receive the 787 on a daily basis from 27 October 2012 replacing its current 767, whilst Toronto, Canada's current 777-200LR service will be replaced with a 787 effective 9 November.

■ ZAMBIA: Ethiopia and Zambia close to signing BASA that will transform Lusaka into an Ethiopian Airlines hub.

As an addendum to our post on Friday regarding Zambia's ongoing aviation infrastructural improvement programme and its government's plans to form a new national carrier, Zambia's Ambassador in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia today announced the signing of a "number of economic, scientific and technical measures aimed at boosting existing bilateral relations" between the two countries.

● ETHIOPIA: National Airways, Kenya Aeronautical College to open new aviation college.

Ethiopia's National Airways (7N), in conjunction with Nairobi-based Kenya Aeronautical College (KAC), are to open a centre for the training of aviation personnel in Addis Ababa, to cater for the shortage of skilled manpower currently facing Ethiopia's aerospace and aviation sectors.

► UNITED STATES: Ethiopian swaps Guangzhou and Washington equipment over Christmas period.

Effective 15 December 2012, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to switch operational aircraft in service between Addis Ababa and Guangzhou, China and Addis Ababa and Washington DC, USA as traffic demands during the period grow.

►► SWEDEN: Ethiopian Airlines incorporating Cairo stop on Stockholm flights.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is currently incorporating a stopover in Cairo, Egypt on its previously direct Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Stockholm, Sweden flights.

The route change has been in vigour since 10 August 2012 and will last until 10 September 2012, though the GDS has it until late October.

► GERMANY: Ethiopian to reduce Frankfurt service to 6x weekly from late October 'til late November.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will temporarily reduce its Boeing 767-300 operated Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Frankfurt, Germany service from daily to 6x weekly, effective between 28 October 2012 'til 25 November 2012.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian's first 787 undergoes GEnx engine change as General Electric issues global turbine inspection directive.

Despite having now received their second Boeing 787-8 (MSN 34746 | ET-AOR), Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have only recently finished dealing with their maiden Boeing 787-8's (MSN 34745 | ET-AOQ) first technical glitch: the replacement of one of its General Electric (GEnx-1B64) engines which had experienced problems with its hydraulics and oil leakage.

► ETHIOPIA: (Pics) Ethiopian Airlines takes delivery of first customized Bombardier Q-400.

Ethiopian national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines (ET), on 28 September, took delivery of its first of five reconfigured Bombardier Q-400. Routed Toronto-St Johns-Azores-Lisbon-Rome, ET-AQB (MSN 4419) arrived in Addis Ababa yesterday to much pomp and fervour.

► ETHIOPIA: Bole International Airport expansion tenders awarded; new apron to be completed by January 2013.

The Ethiopian Airports Enterprise (EAE) has announced that the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport's apron expansion programme is on track for completion by January 2013. Contracted to China Road and Building Construction Company and with supervision work being done by a local Ethiopian firm - the Transport Construction Design Consultancy Share Company - the EAE expects the new apron to ease the persistent aircraft parking problem the airport faces, particularly during large international conferences.