Ethiopian Airlines intends to order 11 additional Airbus A350-900s from the European airframe. Airbus says the airline has signed a memorandum of understanding for the planned deal during the Dubai air show, which will take Ethiopian's total A350 order tally with the airframer to 33. Fleets data shows Ethiopian has 20 A350-900s in service and four A350-1000s on order. Nine of the in-service A350-500s are listed as being managed and owned by Ethiopian. The balance includes two aircraft managed by ABL Aviation, two by AerCap, two by Clover Aviation Capital and one each by AVIC International Leasing, Jackson Square Aviation and ICBC Leasing. Two further aircraft are managed by Ethiopian and owned by external entities. Deliveries of the A350-1000s are scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2024, Ethiopian says. "We are keen to expand our fleet size, acquiring the latest technology aircraft," Ethiopian group chief Mesfin Tasew states. The airline and Boeing on 14 November disclosed an agreement to order 11 787s and 20 737 Max jets. The deal includes options on 15 787s and 21 Max jets. Ethiopian has 13 Max 8s in service, along with 19 787-8s and 10 787-9s, plus 20 777s (including 10 777Fs). Its fleet additionally spans 15 737NGs and three 767s in service or storage, and 29 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops.
Before the Dubai deal with Boeing, Ethiopian had 17 Max 8s and four 777Fs on order.

Flydubai will establish an in-house MRO facility at Dubai World Central. The low-cost airline says it has signed an agreement with Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) to build a hangar and workshop at the site, with a plan to complete the construction in the fourth quarter of 2026. Building work is scheduled to begin next year. The project represents a $190 million investment, Flydubai says. It plans to recruit more than 230 engineers over the next year for the effort. "The MRO facility on Dubai South will bring us significant reductions in operational costs," states chief executive Mick Hills. He asserts the in-house MRO operation will increase control and "result in reduced downtime as maintenance tasks can be efficiently planned and executed, minimising any disruption to our flight schedules in the future and enhancing overall operational reliability". Flydubai was granted base maintenance approval by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority in 2022, to complete C-checks and entry-into-service support for its Boeing 737 Max jets, the airline notes.

Turkish airline SunExpress has committed to purchasing up to 90 Boeing 737 Max narrowbodies, which could more than double its fleet and power major expansion over the next decade. The deal, disclosed during the Dubai air show now underway, includes 28 Max 8s and 17 Max 10s plus options for an additional 45 Max jets. "Building on the resounding success of our strategy in the post-pandemic period, SunExpress is now poised for next-level growth to meet market demand and achieve a greater international footprint," states SunExpress chief executive Max Kownatzki. SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, targets a fleet of 150 aircraft by 2033. It says it has 66 in its fleet currently. Of these, 11 are Max 8s and the rest 737-800s. "This new commitment from SunExpress builds on the airline's previous order for 42 737-8s, nine of which have already been delivered," notes Stan Deal, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He expresses confidence in the Max's capability to meet the growing demand for travel within and beyond Turkiye. "The 737 Max is a proven airplane on the SunExpress network, delivering unmatched fuel efficiency and reliability." SunExpress specialises in offering direct connections between Europe and Turkiye. Last year, it carried nearly 11 million passengers across 175 routes to 30 countries.