aerobd.news : Air Peace, Nigeria and West Africa’s largest airline, took delivery of their first E195-E2 aircraft today. The aircraft is now due to fly from Embraer’s facility in São José dos Campos to join the Air Peace fleet in Nigeria.

Air Peace is the launch customer in Africa for the E2, the newest, most efficient, and most comfortable aircraft in the segment. The airline is also the global launch customer for Embraer’s innovative premium staggered seating design.

The jet delivered today is the first of 13 firm E195-E2 orders, with 17 remaining purchase rights, as announced in March 2019, and updated with three further firm orders from purchase rights announced at the Dubai Air Show in November 2019. The total value of the deal, with all purchase rights exercised is US$2.2bn. The aircraft are configured in a comfortable dual class arrangement with 124 seats.

The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, said: “The E195-E2 is the perfect aircraft to expand our domestic and regional operations. We are aware of the aircraft’s impressive economic performance as well as its unique configuration, the major reasons we placed an order for this aircraft. It is also a historic feat as Air Peace will be the first to operate this aircraft model in the whole of Africa. The E195-E2 aircraft will further help us actualise our ambition of connecting not just the whole of Nigeria, but the entire African continent, while feeding long-haul flights from our Lagos hub. The acquisition will enable us to deliver on our ‘no-city-left-behind’ initiative, which is underpinned by our goal to reduce the air transportation burden of Africans”.

Cesar Pereira, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Embraer Commercial Aviation said, “Handing over beautiful new jets to our customers is a favourite activity for everyone at Embraer. Doing so in the current circumstances is a boost for us all as we adapt to the changing environment. This is a fabulous start to the year for everybody at Air Peace and Embraer.”

Air Peace already operates eight ERJ-145s, and will use the E195-E2s to enhance domestic and regional connectivity. The E2 is able to achieve this both affordably for passengers and profitably for the airline, along with delivering a superior travel experience. This enhanced network will also help feed and sustain long haul operations at the Lagos Hub, such as the UAE route launched in 2019 and South Africa launched in December 2020.

There are currently 206 Embraer aircraft operating in Africa with 56 airlines in 29 countries.