Embraer demoed its E190-E2 for Latin American carriers and media ahead of a regional aviation summit in Panama in hopes of landing more orders from the region.
Executives from at least 15 airlines, including Chile's Sky Airline and Surinam Airways, joined the Brazilian airframer for the 47min flight on its "Shark" E2 (registration PR-ZGQ) from Panama City Tocumen International airport today. The demo preceded the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in the city on 29-30 October.
"It's a successful gathering of airlines from the region," Embraer commercial chief Arjan Meijer tells FlightGlobal of the group aboard the flight.
The airframer, despite having eight E-Jet operators in the region, has only sold the E2 to Azul. The Brazilian carrier has 36 orders for the E195-E2, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows.
Embraer is on-track to deliver the first E195-E2, which has generated most interest from Latin American carriers, to Azul in 2019, says the airframer's vice-president of commercial aviation for Latin America and the Caribbean Reinaldo Krugner ahead of the flight.
Aeromexico, Austral Airlines and Copa Airlines all operate more than 20 E-Jets but have yet to identify replacements for those aircraft.
Asked whether Embraer would sell any E2s at the forum, Meijer laughs and says: "I'll tell you at the end of ALTA."
Source: Cirium Dashboard
