Airlink has taken delivery of the first three of 10 new Embraer E195-E2s, with four more due in 2026, which will offer new business-class seats.
The carrier finalised its lease agreement with the US-based lessor, Azorra, and celebrated the handover of the aircraft at Embraer’s facility in São José dos Campos, near São Paulo. The new aircraft are in the process of being ferried from the Embraer facility to Johannesburg via Cape Town.
The three new aircraft delivered this week, which seat up to 136 passengers in a two-by-two cabin layout, will provide Airlink with additional capacity to better compete on high-density routes such as Johannesburg-Cape Town.
They feature 20 seats with additional leg-room, including four rows of seats in the front of the aircraft and one row of seats on the overwing exit. Each seat is equipped with a universal plug and its own passenger service unit.
The aircraft will enter service in mid-December, in time to meet the peak summer holiday season demand, pending South African Civil Aviation Authority approval to add them to Airlink’s air operator’s certificate.
Staggered business class to arrive in 2026
Additionally, Katherine Whelan, Airlink CCO, told Travel News that the airline would take delivery of four E2s from July 2026, introducing its first staggered business-class offering to its fleet.
“There is a lot of business-class demand on the Cape Town route and on regional routes. So, our second batch of aircraft will have staggered business class, offering 12 seats in total,” said Whelan.
“Staggered business class is a new product for South Africa, and we will be using those aircraft more on regional routes and some on our Cape Town route as well.”
Expanding range and opportunities
Airlink will be the second carrier on the continent to operate Embraer’s new E2 aircraft.
According to Stephen Hannemann, the SVP of Marketing & Sales for Middle East and Africa, the sub-150 seat aircraft segment accounts for almost 60% of Africa’s total fleet, with Embraer holding 31% of that market.
The new E2 is equipped with the latest technology, reducing its fuel consumption and noise pollution, while increasing its maximum passenger capacity by over 20 seats and flight range by almost 1 300km.
The E195-E2s’ additional range will open new route opportunities for Airlink to connect more destinations and markets across sub-Saharan Africa.
“The E2s were selected for their optimal trip cost to compensate seat costing. The cabin is also significantly quieter and we are looking forward to seeing bigger overhead bins. Finally, the commonality with the 190 fleet reduces training and integration overheads,” said Whelan.
“The E2 will offer Airlink the ability to test out different routes to see what works and what doesn't, between the high-density E2s, which are the first three that have now come in, and the low-density E2s.”
“The integration of the E195-E2s into Airlink’s fleet is an important milestone in the company’s 33-year history and will set it on a new trajectory. In addition to the operational and commercial flexibility that the larger and more capable aircraft offer, they will also unlock additional efficiencies and cost savings from the high degree of operating, maintenance, training and equipment commonality with our existing E-Jets,” said Airlink CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht.
