AFRICA LANDS BOEING 787 AHEAD OF EUROPE,AMERICAS AND MIDDLES EAST

Ethiopian Airlines next week takes delivery of Africa's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the airline's chief executive says the plane will first be used on routes around the continent.

The airline takes delivery of the Everett-build Dreamliner on Tuesday. The plane's maiden flight the following weekend is to carry 250 select customers and VIPs, who will fly around Mount Kilimanjaro on the Tanzania-Kenya border.

"We are really excited to become the first carrier in Africa, Europe, Americas and Middle East to operate this modern aircraft," Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

The 787, which so far is operated only by two Japanese airlines, is Boeing's most advanced plane. It is made out of lighter, composite material 50 percent of the plane is carbon fiber -- that allows airlines to save on fuel costs.

Ethiopian Air will put the 787 on its African routes first to Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe before it flies to other international destinations, such as Washington, D.C., Tewolde said.

"This is a game-changer aircraft. It will completely change how people travel across the globe. Not only will we enjoy a 20 percent reduction in fuel cost but it is environmentally friendly with less carbon emission than any other similarly sized aircraft," Tewolde said.

Ethiopian Airlines ordered 10 787s. Tewolde said five will enter service before the end of the year and will be deployed to long-haul routes. The carrier's other five Dreamliners are expected in early 2014.

The airline's first Dreamliner has 270 seats configured in two classes. It will touch down at Bole Addis Ababa International Airport Aug. 17.