Embraer S.A. has signed a firm order with Japan Airlines (JAL) for a total of 15 E-Jets comprising the E170 and the E190 jets models, as well as for an additional twelve E-Jets family options. The value of the firm order is estimated at USD 677 million, based on 2014 list prices. The order will be included in Embraer’s 2014 third-quarter backlog. All aircraft will be operated by Japan Airlines’ wholly owned subsidiary, J-Air, which has headquarters at Osaka’s Itami Airport. This order is added to the existing 15 E170s that the airline currently flies. New deliveries of E-Jets are scheduled from 2015.

“We have been operating our E-Jets for five years and the aircraft have achieved an outstanding 99.7% dispatch reliability. They are efficient and have displayed exceptional performance,” said Yoshiharu Ueki, Representative Director, President of Japan Airlines. “Having the combination of E170s and E190s in our fleet will give us greater flexibility, enabling us to match capacity with demand on routes within our existing and future networks. Our passengers have been impressed with the space and comfort on board our E170. They value the fact that there is no middle seat.”

“This repeat order by Japan Airlines is an affirmation of the added value that E-Jets have brought to its operations over the years – it has enabled the airline to grow its domestic network in a sustainable way,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, President & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The E-Jets have a proven global track record and we look forward to the operational debut of the E190s in Japan. It is a reaffirmation of the family concept to see the E190 complementing the E170 fleet also in Japan, enhancing J-Air’s operations, and delivering a seamless passenger experience across its network. The airline will also benefit from the high level of commonality between the two E-Jet types.”

J-Air currently operates 176 daily flights across its network of 21 cities that include Osaka-Itami, Sapporo, Sendai, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Fukuoka.

Embraer press release