Widerøe buys jets to strengthen route network
Scandinavia’s largest regional airline has signed contract for up to 15 Embraer E2 jets.
Widerøe is today the airliner in the European north with most take-offs and landings per day. Performing 400 take-offs and landings, the airliner serves 41 domestic and six international destinations. In Finnmark county alone, Widerøe has daily flights to all 11 airports.
The airliner on Monday announced it has placed an order for up to 15 Embraer E2 jets. The contract consists of three firm orders to be delivered in 2018 and purchase rights for 12 further of the E2 model. With Embraer, Widerøe will for the first time operate jet aircraft. Today, the airliner has a fleet of 41 Dash-8 aircrafts.
Stein Nilsen, Chief Executive Officer of Widerøe, says, “Our decision to choose the Embraer family of next generation E2 aircraft for our move into jet operations is based on the need for a high quality passenger experience, ease and flexibility of operations, and lowest through life costs.”
Nilsen says the deal will give WIderøe a good position to develop further.
“The flexibility offered by Embraer’s family of same type rated E2 aircraft will enable us to build a right sized fleet, as a supplement to our existing fleet, in accordance with market requirements.”
Widerøe’s three first Embraer jets are model E190-E2 with 114 seats.
According to Wikipedia, model E190-E2 has a range of 5,200 kilometers and will need a runway of 1,650 meters. That is longer than most regional airports in northern Norway, but gives Widerøe a possibility to start direct flights from airports like Kirkenes, Alta, Lakselv, Tromsø and Evenes to most destinations in continental Europe.
