On 28th January 2021, Air Peace received one of their first brand new E195-E2 aircraft. With a seat capacity of 124, the jet is perfect for short-haul domestic operations. Air Peace has signed a firm order of 13E2s in 2019, and it is expected that two more E2s are to be received by the airline. The deal for the aircraft is believed to have cost the airline a total of $2.2bn USD.
About Air Peace & the New Jets
Air Peace is a private Nigerian airlines based in Lagos State, it offers air transport to customers in Nigeria, West Africa and in the Middle East since it’s establishment in 2013. The airline is the global launch customer for Embraer’s innovative premium staggered seating design. Air Peace has a reasonable fleet size of about 26 aircrafts. The addition of the new aircraft will help the airline expand their domestic and regional operations.
Speaking about the new jets, Allen Onyema, Air Peace Chairman and CEO 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”.
The vice president of Embraer Commercial Aviation (EMEA), Cesar Pereira, added his comments on the delivery of the E195-E2’s, saying that; “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.”
African aviation is set to make great improvements in 2020. Many African carriers are currently increasing their fleet size, with aircraft that can serve both local domestic markets and wider global routes. Uganda Airlines is also set to receive it’s second A330 neo aircraft from Airbus this week. Two positive stories in a time of overall dismay for the industry.
What are your thoughts on the Air Peace E195-E2s?
