Embraer E195-E2 to enter service in 2019 with Azul

Azul Brazilian Airlines will be the first carrier to operate the Embraer E195-E2 in service, the Brazilian manufacturer said.

Azul, which placed the launch order for the E195-E2 at the 2014 Farnborough Airshow, will take delivery of its first of the type in the first half of 2019. Azul has 30 E195-E2s on firm order, plus purchase rights for 20 more.

The São Paulo-based carrier is not a surprise selection to be the launch operator of the E195-E2, which it will configure with 130 seats in a single-class layout. “Azul played a key role in the E195-E2 development, actively participating in the design specification of the aircraft,” Embraer Commercial Aviation president and CEO John Slattery said in a statement.

Azul today operates 73 current-generation E-Jets in its fleet.

The E190-E2 will be the first E2 variant to enter service in 2018 with launch operator Norwegian regional airline Widerøe.

The first E195-E2 prototype rolled out March 7 at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil.

Aaron Karp aaron.karp@penton.com