After great expectations, with several related announcements in recent weeks, Porter Airlines received on Wednesday the first two E195-E2 of an order for 50 aircraft closed with Embraer.
The two aircraft were delivered by the Brazilian manufacturer at its headquarters in São José dos Campos and will fly to Toronto, Canada, by the end of the year.
Porter Airlines will be the first carrier in North America to operate a next-generation E2 family jet. The E195-E2 marks a new stage in the history of the airline, which until now operates regional routes with Dash 8 turboprops.
Starting in February, however, the E195-E2s will initially be used from Porter’s hub in Toronto to destinations such as Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa, but the goal is to also establish routes to the United States and Mexico.
The Canadian company’s jets enjoy an above-average level of comfort as they carry only 132 passengers instead of a possible 146 seats. With that, the space between the rows varies from 30 to 36 inches, explained Embraer.
“The official delivery of these aircraft is the beginning of a new era for Porter,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines. “The E195-E2 enables us to reach across the continent, beyond our Eastern Canada roots, while introducing a level of service for economy air travellers that no other North American airline provides.”
“Porter is focused on delivering what we all want – making the air travel experience a pleasure. Along with their exciting levels of service and generosity, Porter’s entire fleet is also without the dreaded middle seat, and will also satisfy the sustainability needs of Porter’s guests. E195-E2 is the most sustainable single-aisle aircraft, at 65% quieter and up to 25% cleaner than previous-generation aircraft,” said Arjan Meijer, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation.
