Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines announced that the two companies partnered to transport humanitarian aid on Boeing 737 MAX delivery flights from Seattle. Three flights delivered the items in November and December 2022.
The three Boeing 737 MAX, registered as ET-AWF, ET-AWG, and ET-AZO, were delivered to the airline on November 24, 27, and December 4, 2022, respectively, bringing humanitarian supplies with them on their way to the African nation.
According to the jointly-released statement, the aircraft brought more than 12,000 pounds (5443 kilograms) of supplies to Ethiopia.
“Ethiopian Airlines has a long history of collaborating with Boeing on humanitarian flights,” said Mesfin Tasew, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
“This is our 43rd humanitarian delivery with Boeing, and we are proud to partner with their team to once again bring this support home to Addis Ababa,” Tasew added.
Several other organizations participated in the effort, namely the Global Ethiopian Diaspora Action Group (GEDAG) and Noble Humanitarian Missions (NHM) provided medical supplies, while Open Hearts Big Dreams (OHBD) gave books and art supplies. Lastly, the Ethiopian Institute of Resilience and Climate Change provided clothing and medical items, to be transported to the country.
“The Humanitarian Flight Program has helped thousands of people in need gain access to critical care items and humanitarian aid over the past 30 years,” said Cheri Carter, Boeing’s Vice President of Global Engagement. Carter added that these flights only cement the legacy of the airline serving its country’s people, “as we are grateful for their continued partnership,” she concluded.
Ethiopian Airlines currently has 11 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Its original order included 20 firm and purchase rights for 15 jets of the type. On March 10, 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX operating flight ET302 crashed shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of 157 people.