Ethiopian Airlines Group Inaugurates Major MRO Expansion

Ethiopian Airlines has announced a major MRO expansion with three new state-of-the-art facilities, including a new Component Maintenance Workshop, a Central Warehouse and a 2-bay General Maintenance Hangar.

Ethiopian Airlines Inaugurates Three new State-of-the-art MRO Facilities on Tuesday, June 22, 2025 - Courtesy Ethiopian Airlines

On Friday (July 15, 2025), Ethiopian Airlines announced a major maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) expansion with the inauguration of three new facilities, including a new Component Maintenance Workshop, a Central Warehouse and a 2-bay General Maintenance Hangar.  The inaugural ceremony took place at the Ethiopian MRO Services facility in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, which was attended by Ethiopian Airlines’ Management Board Chairman, His Excellency Let. Gen. Yilma Merdasa, Ethiopian Airlines Group’s CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, project stakeholders, and other Ethiopian Airlines Executives.

Speaking at Tuesday’s event, Ethiopian Airlines Group’s CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, said,

“The completion of these advanced MRO facilities significantly enhances our technical capability and reinforces our position as a key player on the global stage.  With expanded capabilities and cutting-edge systems, we are now better equipped to deliver efficient, high-quality maintenance services for both our growing fleet and third-party operators.  As we strengthen our infrastructure, we reaffirm our dedication to supporting Africa’s aviation renaissance and solidifying Ethiopia’s place as a continental hub for world-class aviation services and sustainable growth.”

With an investment of over US $150 million, and a three-year construction timeline, the project was developed in partnership with China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation (CAIEC), China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), and DAR Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners) for the construction of the three facilities. 

This expansion significantly enhances Ethiopian MRO’s technical infrastructure and service capability.  Ethiopian MRO Services already has over 1,200 components in its FAA approved component repair capability list, and the new Component Maintenance Workshop features specialized shops for B737 & Q400 main and nose landing gear repair, ATE, IDG, ACM, as well as ATS Components, adding over 170 new components in the existing capability list.

The two new widebody General Maintenance Hangars brings the total number of hangars at Ethiopian MRO to eight.  The 15,000 square-meter Central Warehouse has a storage volume of 25,500 cubic meters, and incorporates an advanced Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), enhancing the efficiency of spare parts management and supporting smoother maintenance operations.

Ethiopian Airlines' New MRO Facilities - Courtesy Ethiopian Airlines

Founded in 1945, Ethiopian Airlines is the fastest growing airline in Africa.  The carrier commands the largest share of Pan-African passenger and cargo service markets and operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the world.  In addition to their main hub in Addis Ababa, the carrier is also pursuing a multi-hub strategy through a hub in Lomé (Togo) with ASKY, in Lilongwe (Malawi) with Malawi Airlines, and in Lusaka (Zambia) with Zambia Airways.  Ethiopian serves over 160 destinations across five continents with a fleet of ultra-modern and fuel-efficient aircraft, including Boeing 737s, 787-8/9 Dreamliners, 777-300ERs, 777-200LRs, 777-200 Freighters, Airbus A350-900s, A350-1000s, and De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s.

Source: Ethiopian Airlines