PARIS — Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer announced Wednesday that Dutch airline KLM has committed to buying as many as 35 of its E195-E2 aircraft.
KLM Cityhopper, which is a subsidiary of the main KLM airline, has offered a firm order to buy 15 jets with purchase rights for 20 more. Based on current list prices the deal has a value of around $2.5 billion, although a steep discount on that figure is expected.
The deal, again based on Embarer's catalog pricing, means that the conglomerate has taken orders of 78 aircraft, worth around $4.6 billion, during the Paris Air Show this week.
The 15 firm deliveries from Embraer to KLM are expected to be made between 2021 and 2024.
Speaking at the press conference, KLM President and CEO Pieter Elbers said previous purchases of Embraer's E190 and E175 model had expanded the airline's route network, but refused to be drawn on any new destinations thanks to the E195-E2's longer range.
The Embraer E195-E2 is claimed to use 30% less fuel compared to KLM Cityhopper's current fleet of Embraer E190s, leading Elbers to describe the plane as "environmentally friendly."
Elbers added that existing Embraer aircraft in the KLM fleet had received "a lot of positive feedback" from customers.
He said the slot availability at the busy Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam would determine if the aircraft would be used as a replacement to older planes or also as an opportunity to expand.
