LONDON – Oman low-cost carrier SalamAir has announced a firm order with Embraer for six of its E195-E2 aircraft with options for a further six aircraft.
Embraer Hits Airbus Carrier
The carrier has been operating an all-Airbus fleet up to this point, which is while great news for Embraer a slight worry for Airbus as it has seen its domination and personal preference for the airline diminish slightly with this order announcement, with the carrier obviously feeling the E195-E2 jets offer it more in the imidate future than the current crop of Airbus aircraft.
Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said, “The aircraft will grow to be a core part of our fleet portfolio. It is exhilarating for us to be the first airline in the Middle East to fly the incredible E195-E2.”
“Embraer’s aircraft represents the best environmental efficiency, operating performance, and passenger comfort. The aircraft’s sophisticated aerodynamics, novel wing design and new technologies enable its exceptional energy efficiency.”
“These aircraft are perfect for the next frontier of our growth. They will allow the airline to open new local and regional cities and increase its frequency to these destinations due to its fuel efficiency and capacity, which suits the needs of these markets.”
“The new fleet will be used on domestic flights initially, including the 4 oil fields and 4 international airports within Oman, as we receive more aircraft we will be able to use them on regional airports in neighbouring countries which today are not connected to Oman.
The new aircraft will be delivered to the carrier in a dual-class configuration with 135 seats available on each one, with the first being delivered at the end of 2023.
It is understood that the deal which has been signed today will be placed to the Q3 backlog or orders that the Brazilian manufacturer has and is estimated in value at $934.6 million US dollars, all list price with all options added.
Arjan Meijer, President and CEO Embraer Commercial Aviation, added, “It’s great to be growing in the Middle East, a region that has often focused on long-haul travel. For Embraer it is also important to see a pioneering low-cost carrier like SalamAir recognize the value that E-Jets deliver in the LCC scenario, complementing larger narrowbodies to grow and maintain networks.”
Who is SalamAir
SalamAir is a low-cost carrier based in Oman, launched in 2017 the carrier operates a wide range of services to countries all over the European and African continent, with flights to, Muscat, Salalah, Suhar, and Duqm international destinations to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Trabzon, Bursa, Kathmandu, Baku, and many, many more.
The airline was launched with the focus of being able to provide more affordable and better travel options for both business and leisure travellers to be able to better connect themselves with new cities and opportunities.
According to Ch-Aviation, the airline operated the youngest fleet in Asia in 2021 and 2022, with its until now all Airbus fleet of six A320neo, four A321neo and one Airbus A321 freighter
