Helvetic Airways of Switzerland has finalized its contract for 12 E190-E2s. The USD730 million (list price) order was announced as an LOI at the Farnborough Air Show last July. The contract includes purchase rights for an additional 12 E190-E2s which the airline can convert to larger E195-E2s.

Executives from Embraer and Helvetic Airways during firm order announcement event in Zurich

The carrier is modernizing its current fleet. The first of the new E190-E2s will start replacing Helvetic’s five Fokker 100s and seven first-generation E190s in late 2019. Delivery of all of the new E-Jets will be complete by autumn 2021.

The contract signing comes just as the E190-E2 “shark” is touring Europe. It stopped in Zürich where some of Helvetic’s 440 employees checked out the new airplane.