Embraer announced on Wednesday that Swiss regional carrier Helvetic Airways has converted four of seven remaining E190-E2s to the larger E195-E2 model. The original 2018 order was for 12 E190-E2s of which five have already been delivered.
On Wednesday, Embraer announced that Swiss regional carrier Helvetic Airways has converted four of their remaining seven Embraer E190-E2s to the larger E195-E2 model. Helvetic originally placed a firm order of 12 E190-E2s with 12 options and conversion rights in September 2018. The carrier recently took delivery of their fifth E190-E2, marking Embraer’s 1600th production E-Jet. Last week the aircraft flew a record 7,400 km nonstop from Natal, Brazil to Zürich, a flight lasting 9 hours and 10 minutes. All remaining deliveries, including the four E195-E2s will be delivered by the end of next year. The value of the remaining firm order for seven aircraft is US$480 million at current list prices and if all purchase options are exercised, the deal is valued at US$ 1.25 billion. In Wednesday’s announcement, Helvetic Airways’ CEO Tobias Pogorevc said,
“The Embraer E195-E2 strikes a good balance between seating capacity, range, fuel consumption and environmentally friendly operation. With between 120 and 150 seats, it has virtually no competition in the regional aircraft segment. Operating a single fleet – in terms of cockpit – with varying seating capacities will enable us to expand the organization’s operational flexibility and autonomy.”
Also commenting on Wednesday’s conversion announcement, Embraer Commercial Aviation’s Vice President Europe, Russia and Central Asia added,
“Helvetic Airways is powered by a high performance culture; the airline already manages to deliver greater fuel and emissions efficiency from its current E2s than Embraer advertises; and the E2 is already the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. Innovative and successful airlines operating our jets is the greatest advertisement for our aircraft and acting now to ensure the best capacity diversity for their fleet sets Helvetic Airways up for further success, even in these challenging times.”
Helvetic Airways will configure the E195-E2s in a single class layout with 134 seats, while their E190-E2s have 110 seats. All Embraer E2 jets share cockpit commonality, allowing crews to operate across all variants. The E195-E2 burns 10 percent less fuel per flight, is 40 percent quieter and emits 30 percent less CO2 compared to the E190s it replaces in Helvetic Airways’ fleet.
In a separate announcement by Helvetic Airways on Wednesday the carrier stated that with the latest deliveries of their fourth and fifth Embraer E190-E2s (HB-AZD and HB-AZE), the airline now operates a fleet of 13 Embraer aircraft. The fleet includes eight Embraer E190-E1s and five E190-E2s. As previously mentioned, the remaining seven E2s (including the four E195-E2s) will be delivered from the end of 2020 through 2021.
Helvetic further announced today (July 15, 2020), that they are introducing a new, innovative and flexible network of routes called ‘Helvetic POP-UP Flights.’ Regarding the new network schedule operations, Helvetic Airways’ CEO, Tobias Pogorevc stated,
“Instead of the traditional network with the same frequency of flights, we’re being flexible and innovative with our operations. Helvetic POP-UP flights are an opportunity for our Swiss and international customers to visit a unique selection of high-end destinations – all bookable at short notice and in compliance with strict hygiene measures. If travel restrictions mean that a route has to be changed, we can be very flexible in how we go about it. In other words, there is no risk for our passengers.”
Helvetic’s first POP-UP flights will operate to Tivat, Montenegro in collaboration with Meersicht (travel specialists for southeastern Europe) and the Chendi Bay Hotel from July 24th to 26th, 2020. In August, Helvetic will add POP-UP flights to Dubrovnik and Vilnius in Lithuania.
Based in Zurich, Switzerland, Helvetic Airways offers a variety of short and medium-haul flights to popular domestic and European destinations. The airline uses their fleet for scheduled, wet-lease and charter flights and currently operates eight Embraer E190s on behalf of partner SWISS International Air Lines under a long-term wet-lease agreement. The company has 450 employees and operates their head office and maintenance hangar at Zurich Airport. Helvetic Airways has worked closely with Horizon Swiss Flight Academy since 2008 which is based in Kloten, Switzerland, in order to develop aviation talent. Both Helvetic Airways and Horizon Swiss Flight Academy are subsidiaries of the Helvetic Airways Group, which is domiciled in Freienbach, Switzerland.
Source(s): Embraer, Helvetic Airways