Embraer and Alitalia finalized an agreement for the delivery of 15 E175s and five E190s through a lease structure arranged by third parties, the Brazilian manufacturer announced today.

Embraer plans to start delivering the new E-Jets in the third quarter. Configured in 88-seat and 100-seat single-class layouts, respectively, the E175s and E190s would serve Alitalia’s domestic and European network based on seven Italian networks: Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Turin, Venice, Naples and Catania.

Plans call for the 20 new aircraft to progressively replace and “enhance” Alitalia’s existing fleet of 16 E170s and Bombardier CRJ900s, allowing it to develop its ability to provide direct links over short- and medium-haul destinations without the need for stopovers. Meanwhile, by lowering the average age of Alitalia’s fleet the new E-Jets will help the Italian airline streamline maintenance schedules and reduce fuel consumption.

“The choice of the Embraer E-Jets has been the result of a thorough analysis that involved not only all the main professional groups of Alitalia, but using an innovative method, also a sample of frequent-flier customers,” said Rocco Sabelli, CEO of Alitalia.
“This important investment is in addition to those currently made on Alitalia’s medium-range and long-haul fleet, and represents an important step further in the process of providing service excellence to all the company’s customers,” he added.