ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – African carrier Ethiopian Airlines plans to buy six aircraft to improve its domestic service, its chief executive said on Monday.

“Our aim is to upgrade our 16 domestic routes throughout the country by adding new aircraft with a capacity between 70 to 80 seats,” Girma Wake told a news conference.

“Such planes would allow passengers to fly in comfort and would also help the airlines to generate more income,” he said.

He said the airline was evaluating offers from Canada’s Bombardier, CATIC International Holdings of China, Embraer of Brazil, French-Italian ATR, Sukhoi Super Jet and Mitsubishi.

With the purchase of the six planes, the number of aircraft servicing domestic routes would reach 13, he said.

Ethiopian is also in the process of acquiring ten Boeing 787 jetliners to be delivered in 2009. The airline owns 32 aircraft and serves 50 international destinations.