With China Southern Airlines To Operate The Jet, Embraer Expands Its E-Jets Operators' Base In China

Embraer delivered the first EMBRAER 190 jet to China's CDB Leasing Co., Ltd. (CLC), Thursday, at the Company's headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. The aircraft will be operated by China Southern Air Holding Xinjiang Company, a branch of China Southern Airlines, which is the largest airline in China and the third in the world, in terms of traffic volume. As announced earlier this year, CLC has ordered a total of 30 EMBRAER 190s, including 20 firm orders and ten options, all of which for China Southern Airlines.

The aircraft will fly in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang's civil aviation industry has made significant progress in recent years and is now one of China's most developed regions, in terms of regional route networks. As the Chinese Central Government furthers economic development in western China, the rapid development of the Xinjiang regional economy requires its air transport industry to enter a new phase. Based on the current plan, another six EMBRAER190s will be delivered by the end of this year, all of which will be put into service in this region. These aircraft will assist the operator to build a hub and spoke network with convenient, high-frequency schedules, which will help accelerate the establishment of Xinjiang's Urumqi as a hub airport in western China.

"This deal with CLC starts an important partnership for Embraer, and will help to further expand our E-Jets fleet in the region. We are also delighted to welcome China Southern Airlines as a new E-Jets operator," said Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, Embraer President, Commercial Aviation. "The EMBRAER 190 has achieved worldwide success with outstanding economics, performance and comfort. We are fully confident that the aircraft will be an essential tool for China Southern Airlines' market expansion."

"We are very glad to take delivery of our first EMBRAER 190. The introduction of these aircraft will further consolidate our company's partnership with Embraer and China Southern Airlines. The jet's reliable performance has been proven by worldwide operators. We believe that the EMBRAER 190 will contribute to the market development of China Southern Airlines and the development of China's regional aviation," said Yu Shunming, President of CDB Leasing.

The initiative to introduce the EMBRAER 190 not only demonstrates China Southern Airlines' response to the State's call to assist Xinjiang in facilitating its civil aviation and economic development, but also raises the company's profile by reinforcing its presence in northwestern China. The aircraft's range capability meets the needs for developing air transport in Xinjiang, a region with unique geographical characteristics. It is an ideal tool to help operators expand the air transport network and increase the market share in neighboring countries.

FMI: www.embraer.com