Air Astana has signed a deal for two Embraer 190 jets and taken options on two more.

Under the deal, deliveries to the Kazakh carrier will begin in the first half of next year. The deal is valued at $171.2 million, including options.

"The Embraer 190's range, efficiency and size are ideal to increase services on some highly frequented routes and to start new routes in central Asia, especially towards Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as southern Russia and Georgia," said Air Astana president Peter Foster.

Air Astana has been operating two Embraer 190 jets since last month under a lease agreement with Jetscape and will receive two additional aircraft in 2011 and 2012, in a lease agreement with Air Lease, bringing its fleet to six Embraer 190 jets.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news