Ethiopian Airlines is a Boeing dominated carrier. However, at one time, its Boeing fleet was even larger because it once flew a modest fleet of Boeing 757. Let's take a look at when it operated those aircraft and where they all ended up.

What happened to Ethiopian Airlines' 757 fleet? Photo: Aero Icarus via Flickr

The Boeing 757 fleet details

The Boeing 757 aircraft started coming to Ethiopian Airlines back in 1990. In its lifetime, it owned a total of twelve. However, not all of its 757s were passenger jets. In fact, nearly half of them were freighter aircraft. So in total, Ethiopian had seven passengers aircraft of which four are stored with the airline and another three were passed on.

The airline ordered five 757-200 aircraft to add to the three Boeing 767-200 aircraft it already owned at the time. It began receiving those aircraft in the 1990s as part of its fleet modernization.

The first 757 additions

Let's start with the first additions to the fleet, those orders placed at the tail end of the 90s. Between 1991 and 1992, Ethiopian Airlines received four of its Boeing 757, according to Air Fleets. The airline is also recorded to have received the fifth aircraft in that time frame, but it was a cargo aircraft.

ET-AJX was the first aircraft that flew with Ethiopian. Photo: Bob Adams via Flickr

ET-AJX was the first aircraft recorded to be delivered in February 1991. The aircraft flew with the airline until sometime in the 2000s. In October 2006 it was converted to a freighter. Ethiopian Airlines then used this converted aircraft for 11 years. However, in 2017, it was stored where it remained until 28th January 2019. It was then moved and stored at Miami International. As of February 2019, the aircraft is now stored with CSDS Aircraft Sales and Leasing.

ET-AKC arrived in the final months of 1991. On 18th November 1991, Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of the aircraft which flew for 21 years. It was then stored in March 2012. The aircraft is still registered as stored with Ethiopian Airlines.

The 1992 collection

The following year, the remaining two aircraft arrived at the airline. ET-AKE was delivered in April 1992 and ET-AKF in October 1992. ET-AKE was active with the airline for 20 years but was stored like the previous aircraft in March 2012. The same fate occurred with ET-AKF.

ET-AKF when it was with the Ethiopian Airlines fleet. Photo: Bob Adams via Flickr

ET-AKE is still registered as stored with the airline however ET-AKF has been moved on. It was first stored with Ethiopian Airlines but then its registration was changed to N752LT. It was then with the Lance Toland Ltd fleet in storage but since then it has left. In June 2018, it left the fleet and went to L-3 Communications Advanced Aviation LLC, arriving in November. This is where the aircraft is currently stored.

Reigniting the 757 flame

Whilst the initial aircraft were ordered as part of a fleet modernization, the 2000s were also a time of growth for Ethiopian Airlines. In 2002, it said:

"The airline embarked on a period of sustained growth and fleet modernization with plans to purchase, over the next four years, 12 new aircraft."

These aircraft were Next-Generation B737-700s and 767-300ERs but within those four years, Ethiopian Airlines also acquired three Boeing 757-200.

The first was ET-ALZ in December 2005. The aircraft had been with three airlines before that but had most recently come from SBA Airlines. ET-ALZ stayed active with Ethiopian for 11 years. In August 2016 it was stored. But then in March 2017, it went on to be part of Royal Flight's fleet in Russia. It is now named Andrey Karlov and is an active member of the fleet.

ET-ALZ was active until 2016 but now operates for Royal Flight. Photo: Anna Zvereva via Flickr

The next aircraft to come was TC-OGT but it was only flown for a short period. It was leased by Ethiopian for six months in September 2006. Before that, it had been with Atlas Jet who had owned it for less than one year. After Ethiopian, the aircraft went to five unique airlines and is now active with Titan Airways. TC-OGT has been with Titan since October 2018 when it leased it from BBAM Aircraft Leasing and Management. The airline has already operated the aircraft twice before; first in 2012 and then again in 2016.

A new route for an ex-Ethiopian aircraft

TC-OGS was the final passenger aircraft to arrive in December 2006. It was leased from Atlas Jet who had it before in 2005. Again Ethiopian only kept this aircraft for a short period of time. In April 2007, it went back to Atlas Jet. These days, the aircraft is named Fontainhas and is due to enter TACV Cabo Verde Airlines' fleet. The airline is looking to fly the aircraft to Lagos in Nigeria.

Have you ever flown Ethiopian Airlines' 757 aircraft? Let us know in the comments!