Ethiopian Airlines nears Boeing cargo plane order, sources say
BA•Ethiopian Airlines nears Boeing freighter order
PARIS/ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 2 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines is nearing a deal to buy up to 10 long-haul Boeing freighters as plans edge forward for a new African hub to compete with Gulf carriers, two industry sources said.
The deal was likely to include two of Boeing's current-generation 777F aircraft, helping the U.S. planemaker to bridge the gap to a delayed new 777-8F freighter model that was expected to make up the rest of the order, the sources said.
One of the sources said the planned order involved a total of between 8 and 10 aircraft, barring last-minute adjustments. Boeing said it would not comment on speculation. Ethiopian Airlines had no immediate comment.
