Southern Africa’s premier regional airline, Airlink, has unveiled ambitious fleet expansion plans with a lease agreement for 10 new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft from U.S.-based lessor Azorra. The deal, set to be finalized soon, will significantly bolster Airlink’s operational efficiency, lower its carbon footprint, and open up new growth opportunities across its expanding African network.
Deliveries of the brand-new aircraft, built at Embraer’s facilities in Brazil, are scheduled to begin later this year and continue through 2027. The move comes at a strategic moment for Airlink as it solidifies its position as Africa’s most reliable and fastest-growing independent airline.
The Future of Regional Aviation for Airlink
The E195-E2 represents Embraer’s latest generation of efficient, mid-sized regional jets. With seating for up to 136 passengers in high-density configuration or 124 in dual-class, the E2 will bring a 29% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the earlier generation E195s currently in Airlink’s fleet.
For Airlink, which operates to 45 destinations across 15 countries — including hard-to-reach territories like St. Helena Island and Madagascar — this upgrade aligns perfectly with both economic goals and environmental commitments.
Airlink’s CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht, emphasized the transformational impact of the E2 jets:
“The E195-E2 will bolster our business, helping us to be even more competitive on key routes and in doing so, continue providing the great value offering our customers are accustomed to.”
The jets are powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, a proven benchmark for quiet, fuel-efficient operation. Besides cutting fuel consumption, the aircraft will also reduce noise pollution at the airports Airlink serves, contributing to quieter and greener operations.
Boosting Competitiveness and Market Reach
One of the major advantages of the E2 jets for Airlink is lower unit costs per seat, especially critical on high-demand trunk routes like Johannesburg-Cape Town and Johannesburg-Durban, where the airline competes with both full-service and low-cost carriers.
The additional range of the E195-E2 will also give Airlink the flexibility to expand deeper into the sub-Saharan market, possibly exploring underserved secondary markets where demand is emerging for reliable air connections.
Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, called the partnership a significant milestone for the E2 program in Africa:
“It’s a great vote of confidence in Embraer and the E2, that Airlink, one of the continent’s most successful airlines, and a long-time Embraer operator, intends joining the E2 family.”
Airlink’s long-standing relationship with Embraer dates back to 2001, when it first introduced regional jets into its operations. The commonality between the current Embraer E190 fleet and the new E2 aircraft ensures streamlined pilot training, maintenance operations, and spare parts management.
A Strategic Leasing Partnership
For Azorra, the deal with Airlink strengthens its presence in the African aviation landscape. John Evans, CEO of Azorra, noted:
“The E195-E2 offers the perfect combination of increased capacity, efficiency and flexibility, helping Airlink expand its network while maintaining the high-frequency service its passengers value.”
Azorra has been instrumental in advancing the adoption of the E2 series globally, and this deal marks one of the most substantial commitments by an African carrier to the E2 platform to date.
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