Ethiopian Airlines completes Africa’s first A350 full strip-and-paint programme

December 26, 2025 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Ethiopian Airlines has completed Africa’s first full strip-and-paint programme on the Airbus A350-900, strengthening its in-house MRO capabilities and reinforcing its position as a leading widebody maintenance provider on the continent.

Ethiopian Airlines has achieved a major maintenance milestone after successfully completing Africa’s first full strip-and-paint programme on the Airbus A350-900, carried out on two aircraft at its Addis Ababa facilities.

The flag carrier said the accomplishment significantly expands the technical depth of Ethiopian MRO and follows closely on the development of full strip-and-paint capabilities for the Boeing 787 fleet, including advanced composite painting. Together, the projects position Ethiopian as the only airline in Africa with in-house strip-and-paint capability for both the A350 and B787 widebody types.

Speaking earlier today, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew described the development as a strategic step in strengthening the airline’s operational independence and commercial reach.

“The successful execution of our full strip-and-paint project on two of our A350-900 aircraft, coupled with the completion of paint capability on the B787 earlier this year, marks a significant step forward in Ethiopian’s in-house widebody advanced composite structure paint capabilities,” Tasew said. “This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in world-class MRO capabilities, strengthening operational resilience, enhancing self-reliance and elevating our global standing.”

He added that beyond cost savings, the new capability opens additional revenue streams by enabling Ethiopian to offer specialised services to third-party customers across Africa and the wider region.

Ethiopian MRO is already one of the continent’s largest aircraft maintenance providers, serving airlines in Africa and the Middle East. The unit has offered aircraft maintenance, painting and coating services for nearly six decades, supported by a modern paint shop and a dedicated widebody paint hangar.

The airline said it now has comprehensive in-house painting and multi-layer coating capabilities for both advanced composite and aluminium airframes across its entire fleet. These include the use of advanced application technologies such as high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) and electrostatic spray systems, which improve coating quality while reducing waste and environmental impact.

With the addition of A350 strip-and-paint capability, Ethiopian MRO further consolidates its position as a regional centre of excellence for widebody maintenance, repair and overhaul services, as the airline continues to invest heavily in technical infrastructure alongside its rapid network and fleet expansion.