South African carrier Airlink has signed a sale and purchase agreement for one Embraer E190 aircraft from the lessor CDB Aviation.
The aircraft in question had previously previously been out on lease to BA Cityflyer, and was subsequently delivered to Airlink in May 2023.
The delivery of the Embraer regional aircraft coincided with the airline’s celebration of connecting Southern Africa for 31 years.
The transaction was also the inaugural sale of the aircraft type from CDB Aviation’s portfolio. Prior to the sale, the lessor had 20 units of the E190 in its fleet on lease to various carriers globally.
“The E190 segment is seeing a rebound amid rising interest rates and robust demand in all areas of the market as airlines recognize the potential of the 100-seat narrow-body configured aircraft for boosting the capacity of their fleets,” stated Peter Goodman, CDB Aviation’s Chief Marketing Officer.
“We’re pleased to have executed this first off-lease sale from our portfolio of E190s, and we trust that this aircraft, with its unique operational advantages, is a perfectly suitable aircraft type for such a major player in the South African domestic and regional market as Airlink.”
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Rodger Foster, Airlink’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Airlink operates a large portfolio of E-Jets, and we are excited about the purchase of this E190 from CDB Aviation to add to our fleet.”
“This is a good example of the E190 type as it has an impeccable pedigree having been maintained by BA Cityflyer and is eligible for immediate induction into service.”
“The E-Jet type is the right fit for most of the markets within Airlink’s expanding intra-African network, enabling the delivery of appropriate frequency of service and availability that accords with market demand at the right time of the day.”
“Our customers simply love the value proposition of the double two-abreast seating configuration,” Foster added.
About Airlink
Airlink was established in 1992 and is Southern Africa’s premier privately-owned, regional airline. Airlink serves these cities and other destinations throughout Southern Africa, Madagascar, and St Helena Island.
In addition, Airlink offers worldwide connections through its 34 airline partners, which include many of the world’s best-known inter-continental carriers.
Airlink launched its innovative “Skybucks” frequent flyer rewards program earlier this year. Airlink has consistently been South Africa’s most on-time airline over the last two years, with its fleet of more than 60 modern jetliners achieving a 94.89% average on-time performance this year.
Airlink is an International Air Transport Association (IATA) member accredited under its safety audit program (IOSA).
