KLM’s regional subsidiary has concluded a lease agreement with BOC Aviation to add six Embraer 190s to its current fleet of 22 E-Jets. The additional E190s are part of KLM Cityhopper’s strategic plan to replace the oldest aircraft in its Fokker fleet. The first of the six E190s is scheduled to be delivered during the second half of this year.
Consistent with its current E190s, the new E190s will also be configured with 100 seats in a single-class layout. After delivery of the last aircraft from this new acquisition, KLM Cityhopper will have more E190s in its fleet than any other aircraft type. All of the E190s will be deployed across KLM’s European network from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
Through its partnership with Air France, the combined KL/AF E-Jet fleet will total 56 aircraft by the end of this year, the largest in Europe.
Since entering revenue service in 2004, Embraer has received more than 1,300 orders for its E-Jets. Nearly 1,000 have been delivered. Sixty-five airlines from 45 countries have added E-Jets to their fleets and are flying them in low cost, regional and mainline business applications. In May 2013, the global E-Jets fleet had accumulated 10 million flight hours.
