Ethiopian Airlines Enhances Fleet with Collins Aerospace Premium Seats

Ethiopian Airlines Elevates Fleet with Collins Aerospace Premium Seating

In a significant move to solidify its status as Africa’s leading aviation group, Ethiopian Airlines has announced a major partnership with Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. Announced on November 18, 2025, at the Dubai Air Show, this collaboration focuses on upgrading the carrier’s business class offerings across two distinct fleet types. We view this development as a pivotal step in the airline’s “Vision 2035” strategy, which aims to standardize a high-end passenger experience for global travelers.

The agreement entails the installation of advanced seating solutions on both wide-body and narrow-body Commercial-Aircraft. Specifically, Ethiopian Airlines has selected the Elevation™ suites for its Airbus A350-900 fleet and the Parallel Diamond™ seats for its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This selection highlights a commitment to maintaining consistency in luxury, regardless of whether a passenger is flying on a long-haul intercontinental route or a regional connection.

By integrating these premium products, the airline is addressing a common industry challenge: the disparity in comfort between different aircraft types. We see this as a strategic maneuver to compete directly with major Gulf carriers and European Airlines, ensuring that Ethiopian Airlines remains the preferred choice for premium travel into and out of the African continent.

Transforming the Wide-Body Experience: The Elevation™ Suite

For the airline’s flagship long-haul operations, the focus is on the Airbus A350-900. Under the new deal, 11 new A350 aircraft will be fitted with the Collins Aerospace Elevation™ Global business class suite. This product is designed to replace traditional open-cabin layouts with a more secluded and private environment, a standard that has become increasingly essential for top-tier international business travelers.

The Elevation™ suite features a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration. This layout is critical as it guarantees direct aisle access for every passenger, eliminating the inconvenience of stepping over a neighbor. Furthermore, the inclusion of a full privacy door transforms the seat into an enclosed personal suite. We note that this level of privacy aligns Ethiopian Airlines with other top-rated global carriers that have adopted similar “suite” concepts for their business class cabins.

Beyond privacy, the engineering of the suite focuses on maximizing usable living space. The design incorporates a “suspended” table and console, which creates ample room for passengers’ knees and hips without reducing the overall seat count in the cabin. Integrated stowage compartments for laptops and amenity kits ensure that personal items are easily accessible yet securely stored, enhancing the overall ergonomics of the flight experience.

“The suites were distinctly tailored to amplify Ethiopian’s brand, focusing on a consistent and seamless passenger experience.” — Cynthia Muklevicz, VP at Collins Aerospace.

Revolutionizing Regional Travel: The Parallel Diamond™ Seat

Perhaps the most transformative aspect of this announcement is the upgrade scheduled for the Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Ethiopian Airlines plans to outfit 56 of these narrow-body aircraft with the Parallel Diamond™ business class seat. Historically, single-aisle aircraft on regional routes have been equipped with standard recliner seats. This upgrade marks a departure from that norm, introducing true long-haul comfort to the narrow-body segment.

The Parallel Diamond™ seat is designed to maximize space efficiency on single-aisle planes while offering a lie-flat capability. According to the specifications released, the seat converts into a fully flat 78-inch bed. This is a rare luxury for narrow-body aircraft operating within Africa and allows the airline to deploy these planes on longer routes, such as those connecting Addis Ababa to Europe or the Middle East, without compromising passenger sleep quality.

The configuration for these seats will be a 2-2 layout. While this does not offer direct aisle access for window passengers, the design utilizes a “kinematic” feature where seats are angled slightly toward the windows. This orientation maximizes shoulder width and enhances privacy, creating a sense of personal space often lacking in traditional narrow-body business class cabins.

Strategic Implications of “Vision 2035”

This procurement is not merely a product refresh; it is a calculated component of Ethiopian Airlines’ broader growth trajectory. The “Vision 2035” roadmap outlines the airline’s ambition to double its fleet to over 270 aircraft and increase its annual passenger capacity to 65 million. By investing in premium hardware, the carrier is positioning itself to capture high-yield business traffic that might otherwise gravitate toward competitors.

The scale of the project is notable, particularly regarding the Boeing 737 MAX fleet. The announcement specifies outfitting 56 aircraft. Given that the airline operates a mix of active 737 MAX 8s and has a significant backlog of Orders, this figure suggests a comprehensive program that likely includes both new deliveries and a retrofit of the existing active fleet. This approach ensures product consistency, mitigating the “equipment swap” disappointment often faced by frequent flyers.

Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, has emphasized that this order supports the airline’s commitment to passenger comfort. By standardizing the experience with lie-flat seats across both fleet types, the airline effectively blocks regional competition and strengthens its value proposition against global giants connecting via hubs like Dubai or Doha.

Concluding Perspectives

The selection of Collins Aerospace by Ethiopian Airlines represents a significant leap forward for African aviation. By introducing suite-style seating on wide-bodies and lie-flat beds on narrow-bodies, the carrier is setting a new benchmark for the region. We believe this move will force regional competitors to re-evaluate their own premium offerings to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive market.

As the airline continues to expand its network under “Vision 2035,” the consistency of the hard product will likely play a crucial role in retaining customer loyalty. The ability to offer a seamless luxury experience, whether on a six-hour regional flight or a twelve-hour intercontinental journey, positions Ethiopian Airlines as a formidable global player in the years to come.

FAQ

Question: What new seats is Ethiopian Airlines installing?
Answer: The airline is installing Collins Aerospace Elevation™ suites on its Airbus A350-900s and Parallel Diamond™ lie-flat seats on its Boeing 737 MAX fleet.

Question: Will the new Boeing 737 MAX seats lie flat?
Answer: Yes, the Parallel Diamond™ seats on the 737 MAX will convert into a fully flat 78-inch bed, a significant upgrade from the previous recliner seats.

Question: How many aircraft are being upgraded?
Answer: The announcement covers 11 new Airbus A350-900 aircraft and 56 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Sources

• RTX Collins Aerospace