Porter Airlines has taken delivery of the first two Embraer E195-E2 aircraft from an order of 50 from the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer.
Embraer will deliver a further three aircraft to Porter Airlines “in the run up to the New Year”, the planemaker said in a recent statement.
As the North American launch customer for Embraer’s E195-E2s, Porter’s new E2 fleet will be deployed from Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport, and operate from Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa, Embraer revealed.
“The official delivery of these aircraft is the beginning of a new era for Porter,” Michael Deluce, president, and CEO of Porter Airlines, was quoted as saying in the statement.
Porter’s hub at Pearson International allows the airline to serve a wider network across North America.
“The E195-E2 enables us to reach across the continent, beyond our Eastern Canada roots, while introducing a level of service for economy air travelers that no other North American airline provides,” Deluce added.
Arjan Meijer, president and CEO, at Embraer Commercial Aviation, said: “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.”
Deluce expects the first planes to be ready to start flight operations to Canada later this month before going into regular service in February 2023.
According to the statement, Porter has up to 100 E195-E2 aircraft on order from Embraer, this includes 50 firm commitments and purchase rights for 50 aircraft.
In 2021 Porter ordered 30 Embraer E195-E2 jets, with purchase rights for a further 50 aircraft, in a deal worth US$5.82 at list price.
In 2022, Porter firmed an order for a further 20 aircraft in a deal valued at US$1.56 billion.