Airlink Embraer E195-E2 rendering
LE BOURGET—South African carrier Airlink, the largest Embraer operator in Africa, is set to take delivery of 10 E195-E2s from lessor Azorra, marking the first time it will take a factory-new aircraft, having up to now operated an exclusively preowned fleet of 68 Embraer types.
The first of 10 E195-E2s will be delivered at the end of September, with a further two arriving by the end of 2025 followed by the remaining seven in 2026, said John Evans, CEO and founder of aircraft leasing firm Azorra. All 10 aircraft are from Azorra’s E195-E2 orderbook.
The first three E195-E2s for Airlink were originally going to be delivered to Malaysian carrier SKS Airways, which ceased operating earlier this year. This created the opportunity for Airlink to “come into the product earlier than they might have originally anticipated,” noted Evans, speaking June 18 at the Paris Air Show.
With a need for further capacity to meet its strong growth, Airlink’s move into E2s has been influenced by the lack of availability of preowned Embraer models, with market demand outstripping supply today. “There’s a bit of imbalance in the secondhand market for E1s,” Evans said.
Although the lease deal is not 100% finalized, it has been negotiated and agreed. “It was a complex transaction because it’s a very comprehensive program that includes a lot of spare engine support. Pratt & Whitney, Embraer and Azorra partnered to really make this work and to give them the best possible entry into service with this new technology,” Evans added.
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