Madagascar Airlines has entered a partnership with aircraft lessor Azorra to lease three Embraer E190-E2 jets. The country's government is keen on further developing the airline's fleet, and the new aircraft will help Madagascar Airlines expand operations domestically and to nearby international destinations.
Three Embraer aircraft to join the fleet
Madagascar Airlines has signed a leasing contract for three Embraer E190-E2 jets. The first aircraft will join the airline's fleet next year, while the other two are expected to arrive in 2024.
The new jets will allow Madagascar Airlines to strengthen domestic routes but will also present opportunities to explore more international destinations regionally, flying as far as Dubai.
According to Planespotters.net, the carrier has six active ATR 42/72 airplanes for domestic operations, and the new Embraer jets are also expected to lower the time for these short local flights.
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According to Embraer, a rightsized E2 is capable of delivering 25.4% better fuel efficiency per seat and up to 10% better fuel burn than its competitors. It believes that airlines can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 30% if they carefully strategize their fleet development by replacing some of the larger, less efficient airplanes with the rightsized E2.
Recently, the E190-E2 also received type certification in China, announced at the Zhuhai Airshow, marking a significant achievement for the Brazilian planemaker in the Asian marketplace and possibly paving the way for the larger E195-E2.
New CEO
The Embraer aircraft deal isn't the only development with Madagascar Airlines. The carrier has also appointed a new CEO, Thierry de Bailleul, to steer the airline towards profitability after the pandemic. He has decades of experience in the airline industry, having worked for Air France, KLM, Emirates, and, most recently, as Vice-President sales Europe for Qatar Airways.
The pandemic-induced lockdowns affected Madagascar's tourism industry a great deal, affecting Madagascar Airlines directly as a result. Until the country's borders were open earlier this year, the carrier had to rely on domestic traffic only.
The new CEO and the latest Embraer jets are expected to expand Madagascar Airline's reach within the region and speed up the post-pandemic recovery process.
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Azzora-Embraer deal
The Florida-based aircraft leasing company Azzora ordered 20 new E190-E2/E195-E2-family aircraft in January with the option of another 30. At list prices, the deal was valued at $3.9 billion and lets the company order either model of aircraft.
Azzora CEO John Evans had commented back then,
“Our team has a long and productive history with Embraer … Azorra’s first new aircraft was a Phenom 300 acquired from Embraer in December 2016. We are excited about this new chapter in our long-standing partnership with Embraer.”
Here's hoping that Madagascar Airlines implements a successful network expansion strategy to utilize its new Embrarers.
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