Airbus and Ethiopian Airlines Forge 7-Year Maintenance Partnership for A350 Fleet
Maintenance contract for A350 fleet, signed February 2025
Airbus has signed a 7-year Flight Hour Services (FHS) contract with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) for the comprehensive maintenance of its fleet of 24 Airbus A350 aircraft.
This agreement, Airbus notes, signed on February 17, 2025, covers both the A350-900 and A350-1000 models. It will provide Ethiopian Airlines with dedicated on-site stock in Addis-Ababa, access to Airbus material pools worldwide, and repair and engineering support for a wide range of critical rotable parts.
By leveraging Airbus’ extensive engineering expertise, Ethiopian Airlines will benefit from guaranteed component availability, rapid access to essential parts, and optimised maintenance processes.
Airbus highlights this will ensure minimal aircraft downtime and maximise operational reliability across its global network.
Enhancing Fleet Reliability and Performance
Retta Melaku, Chief Operating Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, emphasised the importance of this partnership:
“Partnering long-term with Airbus through this FHS agreement will help us optimise operations, reduce maintenance-related delays, and ensure our passengers continue to experience the best in safety, comfort, and service.”
Laurent Negre, Vice President of Customer Services for Airbus Africa and Middle East, also underscored the significance of the collaboration:
“We are proud to support Ethiopian Airlines with our Flight Hour Services solution to enhance fleet reliability and streamline maintenance operations for its A350s.”
Ethiopian Airlines has been a long-standing Airbus partner, becoming the first African carrier to operate both the A350-900 in June 2016 and the A350-1000, which entered service in November 2024.
Airbus’ Flight Hour Services (FHS)
The Flight Hour Services (FHS) provides a comprehensive maintenance solution designed to help airlines ensure component reliability and availability while controlling maintenance costs.
Airbus notes that through a combination of pooled inventory, on-site stock, and tailored repair and engineering support, FHS helps carriers optimise operations and improve fleet reliability. Currently, more than 1,400 aircraft worldwide are covered by Airbus FHS agreements.
