Horizon Air orders 30 Embraer E175 jets

São José dos Campos, Brazil – Embraer and Horizon Air have signed a firm order for 30 E175 jets. The contract also includes options for another 33 aircraft of the same model. The value of the contract, which will be included in Embraer’s 2016 second-quarter backlog, is $2.8 billion, based on current list prices, if all the options are exercised. The order represents the largest order for Horizon Air since the airline was founded in 1981.

 

Deliveries of the jetliner will start in the second quarter of 2017 and continue for three years. The aircraft will fly exclusively for Alaska Airlines, which already flies the E175 regional plane in 16 markets operated by Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) partner SkyWest Airlines.

 

“To be chosen by Horizon to expand their fleet with the E175 is a great honor for Embraer. It recognizes the great economics that this aircraft offers,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, president & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The Alaska Airlines brand is known for its high-standards of service, having received many awards for their superior customer service, which bring us even greater responsibility to deliver a state-of-the-art product, with the best cabin for passengers in the 76-seat jet segment.”

 

“The E175s position Horizon for growth beyond our current West Coast destinations while providing better customer utility in the growing Alaska Airlines network,” said Horizon Air President David Campbell. “The spacious E175 offers a passenger experience that’s on par with much larger jets. This aircraft opens up tremendous new opportunities to fly to new places that would not have been feasible with our existing aircraft.”

 

With this contract, Embraer has sold 332 E175s to airlines in North America since January 2013, earning more than 80% of all orders in this class. The E175s for Horizon Air will feature aerodynamic enhancements introduced by Embraer in 2014, such as new wingtips and other technical improvements that reduce fuel burn. The 76-seataircraft will be configured in a three-class layout, with 12 first class seats, 16 in premium class, and 48 in the main cabin.

 

Since entering revenue service in 2004, the E-Jets family has received more than 1,700 orders and more than 1,200 have been delivered. The aircraft are flying in the fleets of 70 customers in 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 130-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline carriers.

 

Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, flies to 39 cities across the United States and Canada.

 

Earlier in April, Alaska Air Group’s board of directors announced plans to acquire Virgin America Airlines for $4 billion.