Airlink and Azorra have finalized a lease agreement that will see the Johannesburg-headquartered airline acquire 10 new E-195E2 twin-engine passenger aircraft, with the first delivery scheduled for later this year.

This follows the previously announced selection of the E-195E2s by Airlink, South Africa’s leading full-service airline.

Azorra, the Fort Lauderdale-based lease, finance and asset management firm will supply the newly-built aircraft which will augment Airlink’s current 68-strong fleet. 

Deliveries of the 10 E-195E2s from its facilities in Brazil, will begin later this year and be completed in 2027. Airlink has operated Embraer aircraft since 2001.

The new aircraft, which will seat up to 136 passengers in a two-by-two cabin layout, will provide Airlink with additional capacity to enhance its competitiveness on high-density routes and their additional range will create opportunities to open new routes to serve more destinations across sub-Sahara Africa. 

Airlink will derive additional savings from the high degree of operating, maintenance, training and equipment commonality between its existing E-Jets and the new E2s, including similar flightdecks, operating procedures and handling. This will also ensure a streamlined entry into service.