Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has become the first carrier outside Japan and the third overall to take delivery of the Boeing 787, flying the aircraft from a delivery ceremony at Boeing’s Everett, Wash. facility to Washington Dulles (IAD).

The Dreamliner, which ET has dubbed “Africa First,” will become the 49th aircraft in its fleet (ATW Daily News, Aug. 6).

On Wednesday, the aircraft took a four-and-a-half hour flight to IAD, where the carrier announced that a 787 will be operated on its Addis Ababa-IAD route starting later this year. The carrier ordered 10 of the type.

ET also said that its next desired 787 route is Addis Ababa to Guangzhou, China, although a start date for that service is not yet decided.

In remarks at Tuesday’s delivery ceremony, ET CEO Tewolde Gebremariam noted the 787’s delivery was “overdue by four years” due to multiple program delays. But he said it was “worth waiting” for an aircraft that will launch a “new era” for ET and African aviation.

“This shows you how much Ethiopia as a country, and Africa as a continent, is changing,” he said.

Tewolde said ET plans to grow its aircraft fleet to more than 120 units and its workforce (now numbering around 7,000) to 17,000 by 2025.