Post the challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines in the Asia-Pacific region are beginning to consider fleet renewal, opening opportunities for Embraer, notes Martyn Holmes, Chief Commercial Officer of Embraer Commercial Aviation.
Holmes highlights the decision of Singapore's budget airline, Scoot, to lease nine E190-E2s in early 2023. This move marks Scoot as the first operator of the re-engineered regional jet in Southeast Asia.
"I find myself more frequently here," Holmes states during an interview with FlightGlobal at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition in Malaysia. "The team is doing exceptional work and we see significant potential for the E2 in the Asia-Pacific… It's an opportune moment to be showcasing the aircraft out here."
For the 2023 edition of LIMA, Embraer showcased the E195-E2, following the display of the smaller E190-E2 in 2019.
Holmes mentions that the E195-E2 is currently in the certification process in China, following the E190-E2's achievement of this milestone in late 2022.
"We're confident in the process, and we are confident in the market we can reach in China," Holmes asserts.
Embraer also sees improved prospects in India following modifications to New Delhi's Regional Connectivity Scheme, expected to stimulate demand for smaller jets.
On the new product front, Holmes reiterates Embraer's ambitions for a turboprop airliner, but emphasizes the necessity for the offering to be exactly right before advancing. In December 2022, Embraer decided to postpone the decision to launch the turboprop, citing suppliers' inability to meet targets.
However, Holmes notes that discussions with customers regarding the potential new aircraft have been encouraging.
"We were really delighted at the positivity coming back from the customers, and we could see a real potential for a next-generation turboprop in the market," he states.
Holmes concludes by emphasizing that Embraer continues to work with suppliers on this project.
