There are strong indications that Africa’s largest and most profitable carrier, Ethiopian Airlines is poised to get even larger with new aircraft purchase this year.

The airline is planning to place orders this year for 19 more aircraft including 13 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 6 more Airbus A350s.

Disclosing this to Reuters in an interview, the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Tewolde Gebremariam, said Ethiopian airlines had expanded more than it originally planned.

The airline had planned to more than double its fleet to 120 aircraft and become Africa’s biggest airline by 2025, but currently have 100 planes flying to many destinations on 5 continents.

According to Gebremariam, the airline, in a revised objective, now plans to buy more planes to increase its fleet to as many as 150 airplanes or more by 2025.

Established in 1945, Ethiopian Airlines is 100% state-owned and is by far the largest airline in Africa outpacing other major carriers including Kenya Airways, South African Airways, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc.

Ethiopian Airlines has been experiencing very rapid growth both in terms of route network and fleet expansion. Last week it ordered 10 more Q400 aircraft from Bombardier.

Ethiopian Airlines currently operates a fleet of almost 100 aircraft including 21 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 7 Airbus A350 XWBs.