The agreement was unveiled at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition, which will lead to the delivery of the first E195-E2 to SKS Airways starting from 2024. These regional jets, outfitted to accommodate 136 passengers, will be stationed at Subang International Airport in Kuala Lumpur.
Having initiated commercial operations in January 2022, SKS Airways stated that the E2s will be a central element in its Kuala Lumpur expansion strategy.
The airline currently has a fleet of two Viking Air DHC-6-300s that provide service from Subang to the islands of Redang and Tioman, situated off the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Rohman Ahmad, Director of SKS Airways, expressed his excitement about entering a new growth phase with a fleet of Embraer Jets operating from Subang. He highlighted the common presence of E-Jets at urban airports worldwide and the E195-E2's low noise emissions as key factors making these aircraft ideal for operations in and out of Subang airport.
His remarks followed Malaysia's reveal of its plans to transform Subang airport, positioned south of Kuala Lumpur, into an urban airport that will reintroduce jet aircraft operations.
The Subang Airport Regeneration Plan aims to increase the airport's capacity to handle up to 8 million passengers per year, a significant jump from its current passenger count.
This recent pledge situates SKS Airways as the second Southeast Asian—and the first Malaysian—client of the E2 program. In mid-February, Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, secured a lease commitment for nine E190-E2s from Singapore-based budget operator, Scoot.
In a separate announcement, Embraer declared that it has entered into a long-term agreement with SKS Airways for the maintenance of the E195-E2 fleet. As per this agreement, SKS Airways will gain access to a parts pool program, which encompasses component exchanges and repair services for over 300 repairable parts.
