Embraer is pushing U.S. carriers to embrace its E2 family of regional jets, according to CEO Francisco Gomes Neto.
He told Reuters during a recent interview that Embraer has been marketing the E195-E2 jet to U.S. airlines as a “small narrow-body.” The U.S. market is the world’s largest market for regional airliners, but pilot union “scope clauses” have prevented carriers from adopting larger regional jets. U.S.-based regional airlines continue to order the less-efficient 88-seat E175-E1 instead because it complies with union contracts.
Embraer took in orders for 23 E175-E1 jets from U.S. airlines in the third quarter, including orders from American Airlines and SkyWest. Gomes Neto believes new flights to U.S. destinations by Canada’s Porter Airlines, a major customer for E2 jets, could demonstrate the aircraft’s utility for U.S. airlines.
“It’s a very efficient aircraft. When you fly it with an 80% load factor it’s very, very profitable, and that’s the point we’ve been trying to show the U.S. majors,” he told Reuters.
A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Douglas Royce is currently co-editor of four of Forecast International's Market Intelligence Services: Civil Aircraft Forecast, Military Aircraft Forecast, Rotorcraft Forecast, and Aviation Gas Turbine Forecast. As such, he plays a key role in many important projects that involve market sizing and forecasting for various segments of the world aerospace industry, as well as demand for related systems.
