The first of the eight Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners Ethiopian Airlines procured from the Canadian plane maker Bombardier Aerospace will arrive in Addis Abeba at the end of this week.

The delivery of the first aircraft is taking place ahead of schedule, according to Wogayehu Terefe, acting manager of Public Relations and Publications for Ethiopian. According to the agreement Ethiopian signed with Bombardier to purchase eight Q400 NextGen aircrafts, the first delivery was scheduled for September 2010.

The eight aircrafts cost approximately 242 million dollars and could increase to 366 million dollars since the purchase agreement made in November 2008 also provides the option for the purchase of four additional aircraft.

"All will be delivered before the end of this year," Wogayehu said.

The Q400 aircraft is known for exceptional performance in terms of climb rate, single engine ceiling, higher takeoff weight, and low operating costs, said Girma Wake, CEO of Ethiopian after the purchase agreement was signed in 2008.

The national carrier is planning to employ the new aircrafts which have a passenger seat capacity of 78 on regional routes up to 1,850km from the capital, according to Wogayehu.

Currently, the airline operates 10 Boeing 767-300, eight Boeing 757-200s, two Boeing 757-260Fs, two Boeing 747Fs, two MD-11Fs, five Boeing 737-700NGs, three Boeing 737-800Ws and five Fokker 50s. It is providing 17 domestic flight services with Boeing 737 and Fokker aircraft which have served the airline for the last 15 years.