Embraer and SkyWest, Inc. (SkyWest) have signed a firm order for an additional 19 E175s jets. The aircraft will be flown by SkyWest Airlines, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of SkyWest, under a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Delta Air Lines. The transaction will be included in Embraer’s 2015 fourth-quarter backlog. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected for the third-quarter of 2016.
All the E175s will be configured in a dual class 76-seat layout, equipped with 12 First Class seats, 20 Delta Comfort+ seats, and 44 Main Cabin seats, and will operate under the Delta Connection brand.
The E175s feature a new wingtip that, among other technical enhancements, improves aerodynamic performance. Fuel consumption on a typical flight is 6.4% lower than first-generation E175s. In North America, the E175 is the preferred aircraft of carriers operating 76-seat jets. Since 2013, the E175 has captured over 80% of orders among aircraft in its class from airlines in the United States.
Embraer is the only manufacturer to develop a modern family of four airplanes specifically targeted for the 70- to 130-seat segment. Since the formal launch of the program in 1999, the E-Jets have redefined the traditional concept of regional aircraft by operating across a range of business applications. The first E-Jet entered revenue service in 2004.