Q&A: "India is a key market for Embraer"

The cost-per-seat of the E195-E2 is equivalent to the larger 180-seat aircraft that are prevalent in India, while the cost-per-trip is more than 20 percent lower. These attributes make the E195-E2 a very compelling platform to connect cities in India, explains RAUL VILLARON, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Embraer Commercial Aviation, in this interaction with CRUISING HEIGHTS

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What are the opportunities that Embraer Commercial currently views in the Indian market? 

We believe that the next frontier of airline network growth in India is the connectivity to, and between, Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Our E-Jets families of aircraft, both the E-Jets E2 and the first-generation E-Jets, with a capacity of up to 146 seats, offer a solid tool for airlines to sustainably grow their network.

According to Embraer's analysis, 50 percent of India's domestic flights in 2019 were between 90 and 150 passengers per flight. During Covid, the share of flights in the 90 to 150 passenger band only grew larger.

Not only does the E195-E2 offer the right size to match capacity with demand, but it also does so at the right cost. The cost-per-seat of the E195-E2 is equivalent to the larger 180-seat aircraft that are prevalent in India, while the cost-per-trip is more than 20 percent lower. These attributes make the E195-E2 a compelling platform to connect metro to non-metro and nonmetro to non-metro cities in India. The strategy of developing these new routes that will, in addition, bypass crowded hubs, will further boost India's economy.

Prominent airlines such as KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways, Japan Airlines and all major US carriers have deployed the E-Jets to achieve network growth and to feed traffic to their respective hubs. Regional airlines across the globe also operate E-Jets to establish routes to and from secondary and tertiary cities. The E-Jets are proven tools that deliver value to airlines and we see the same opportunity for the family to bring benefits to airlines in India too.

What's new for Embraer in India?

The E175, Embraer's best-selling commercial jet, and one of the highest selling aircraft worldwide, has received its type certification by the Indian DGCA in December 2022.