Ethiopian, Israel Aerospace Establish Global Standard Cargo Conversion Center - ENA English
Ethiopian, Israel Aerospace Establish Global Standard Cargo Conversion Center
Addis Ababa August 20/2021 (ENA) Ethiopian Airlines Group, in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has opened a new passenger-to-freighter conversion center that provides solutions for the rising demand for cargo aircraft of B767 models.
According to a press release of the group, Ethiopian CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said “we are partnering with IAI, one of the global technology leaders in the aerospace industry, in building a cargo conversion center in our MRO (Maintence, Repair and Operations) facilities in Addis Ababa Airport.”
The center will commence its first business with three Ethiopian Airlines owned B-767-300 aircraft, it was learned.
According to the CEO, the cargo conversion center will expand its services to all airlines in Africa and the wider region.
“We are very happy that we are able to collaborate with IAI to enable us to expand our cargo and logistics services, which is already the largest and leading cargo network in Africa,” Tewolde said, adding that the capacity building will also help expand the MRO services with cutting edge technology and knowledge transfer.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Executive VP and General Manager of Aviation Group, Yossi Melamed said: “We are witnessing a sharp rise in the demand for cargo aircraft as a result of the rise in e-commerce, which has peaked to record levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
IAI has an excellent reputation as a conversion center of passenger-to-freighters aircraft, and the company has constantly been receiving requests to open such conversion centers in more and more locations around the world, he added.
“I am excited by the opening of the current center in Ethiopia, and thanks to my colleagues in Ethiopian Airlines for the trust they have put in IAI’s Aviation Group, as the world’s leader in conversions,” Melamed stated.
The conversion line in Ethiopia will join existing conversion sites IAI operates at its campus in Ben Gurion International Airport and in Mexico.