China's Hainan Airlines has ordered 50 Embraer ERJ-145s and 50 E-190s in a deal with a list value of $2.7 billion. Under the agreement, Embraer will begin delivering the 50-seat regional jets in September 2007. All 50 aircraft will be built at the Brazilian manufacturer's Chinese joint venture Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry.
The E-190s, the first E-Jets to be sold in China, will arrive from December 2007 and be configured with 106 seats. "HNA Group is operating the biggest fleet of regional jets in China," says airline chairman Chen Feng. "The acquisition validates our strategy of providing more flexible flights to match rapidly increasing domestic demand."