Alitalia offers Embraer a 20 jet deal
11 Apr 2011
Sao Paulo: Brazil's Embraer, the world's biggest maker of regional aircraft, has announced a deal for 20 jets with Italian airline, Alitalia, worth approximately $500 million. The carrier will commence taking delivery of these jets in the third quarter of 2011, Embraer said on Monday in a statement.
The deal is part of the carrier's restructuring and fleet renewal programme.
The deal includes 15 Embraer 175 jets and five Embraer 190 jets, which will be configured in a single-class layout.
While the E175s are 90-seaters, the E190s are 105-seaters.
The planes will replace current planes and help modernize Alitalia's fleet, Embraer said, helping boost the number of flights available for short- and medium-length flights.
Alitalia will operate these aircraft on its domestic and European network, with the jets based at seven Italian airports: Rome Fiumicino, Milan (both Linate and Malpensa), Turin, Venice, Naples and Catania.