According to the latest announcement from the Boeing company, Air Sénégal and Ethiopian Airlines have agreed to order a combined total of twenty Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The two agreements – for nine and eleven jets, respectively – were signed at the ongoing Dubai Airshow 2025.
According to the official press release, the West African airline plans not only to expand its existing European network, but also to open new routes from Dakar to the Middle East and the Americas.
“This acquisition marks a major milestone for Air Sénégal,” said Chief Executive Officer Tidiane Ndiaye. “This order forms part of Air Sénégal’s strategy to strengthen and modernise its fleet in order to support the expansion of its regional and intercontinental network, and to reinforce Dakar’s position as a leading aviation hub in West Africa.”
Once finalised, the acquisition of nine 737 MAX airliners will represent Air Senegal’s largest-ever fleet purchase. This will also mark the airline’s first order placed with Boeing since 2004 and the introduction of the 737-8 to Air Senegal’s fleet.
The second of the aforementioned carriers, Ethiopian Airlines, currently operates the largest fleet of the Boeing airliners in Africa. The airline also has the continent’s largest backlog of 737 MAX, 777X and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
The airline is the largest in Africa in terms of passengers carried, destinations served, fleet size and revenue, and is the fourth-largest air carrier in the world by the number of countries served, according to aviation and economic press reports.
Aiming to grow its regional and international networks and to expand its Addis Ababa hub, the airline has committed to purchasing eleven additional Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
“We are thrilled to announce our agreement with Boeing for an additional eleven 737-8 aeroplanes today during the Dubai Airshow,” said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew. “The order will support the growth plans we have established as part of our vision and strategy. We are pleased that our partnership with Boeing continues to grow, and we look forward to operating Boeing aeroplanes for years to come, continuing to serve our customers with high-performance, comfortable aircraft.”
It is worth noting that, according to Boeing’s 2025 Commercial Market Outlook forecast, African carriers will require more than 1,200 new aeroplanes over the next two decades, with single-aisle jets accounting for more than 70% of deliveries.
Cover photo: B737 MAX Ethiopian Airlines. All photos and quotations © Boeing. Information from the Boeing Company press releases were used.
