Japan Airlines orders Embraer- and Mitsubishi-Jets

Embraer S.A. has signed a firm order with Japan Airlines (JAL) for a total of 15 E-Jets comprising the E170 and the E190 jets models, as well as for an additional twelve E-Jets family options. The value of the firm order is estimated at USD 677 million, based on 2014 list prices. The order will be included in Embraer’s 2014 third-quarter backlog. The E-Jets are powered by GE Aviation’s CF34 engines.

All aircraft will be operated by Japan Airlines’ wholly owned subsidiary, J-Air, which has headquarters at Osaka’s Itami Airport. This order is added to the existing 15 E170s that the airline currently flies. New deliveries of E-Jets are scheduled from 2015.

J-Air already has 15 Embraer 170 and nine Bombardier CRJ200. The new E-Jets will replace the Bombardier jets starting 2015. Japan Airlines will also retire its Bombardier Dash-8 Q100, Q300 and Q400 plus the Saab 340. All these turboprops are operated by its Japan Air Commuter subsidiary.

LOI with Mitsubishi Aircraft

At the same moment Japan Airlines announced it had signed a LOI (letter of intent) with Mitsubishi for 32 MRJ-70 and the larger MRJ-90. These jets will start to arrive from 2021 and will replace all other current regional jets. Equipped with newly-developed P&W PurePower Geared Turbofan engines, the MRJ will achieve significantly lower operating costs than current regional jets. JAL will operate the MRJ as the core aircraft on its regional routes.