Small narrowbody jets will increasingly become the method by which airlines tap into thinner traffic streams and gradually generate greater flows, believes a senior Embraer executive.
“One thing we notice all around the world, ever since the launch of the E-Jet – even the [previous-generation] ERJ – is that if you’re an airline that focuses on connectivity and frequency you’re much stronger than a competitor that only flies into a destination three to four times a week,” SVP sales and marketing / head of Middle East and Africa, Stephan Hannemann said.
Speaking at the Bahrain International Air Show and referring to religious tourism – a significant generator of flights in parts of the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa – he noted that “You have to pick these tourists up where they are, not necessarily at a big hub but smaller airports. For example, in Iraq, you could be talking about Sulaymaniyah, Basra or Erbil.
“I think, coming through the pandemic, a lot of airlines have really recalibrated their strategies. A lot of airline executives are talking about sustainable growth. I think the time of just focusing on ‘growth, growth, growth’ are over. They’re looking at sustainable growth, in terms of financial sustainability.”
Traditionally, the Middle East has provided slim pickings for manufacturers of small narrowbody jets, but Hannemann said that the presence of a new Royal Jordanian (RJ) Embraer E195 E2 in the show’s static display, showcased the OEM’s comeback in the region.
He pointed out that RJ’s E2s were undertaking sectors far longer than initially operated by the type, with the aircraft flying from Amman as far afield as Amsterdam, Madrid and Copenhagen which, at up to 5.5 hours in duration, he understood to be the longest scheduled E2 routes in the world.
“We’ve met a lot of airlines executives and CEOs from the region and we believe that they resonate with us that we’re bringing a compelling new flight proposition to the market.” Embraer believed there was a distinctive market for the E190/195 E2s to support the region’s airlines by serving some of its thinner markets in a more profitable way.
The region’s major hubs were very well-served, but look beyond those centers and there were markets such as the Levant or Saudi Arabia that could benefit from smaller aircraft.
“Saudi Arabia is two hours [flying time] east to west, north to south. Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh are very well-served, but I’m talking about places like Taif and Hofuf that are markets that need to be much better connected.”
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