Switzerland’s Helvetic Airways secures first E195-E2

Helvetic Airways (2L, Zurich) took delivery of its first brand new E195-E2 from Embraer with the aircraft arriving in Zurich on Friday, June 25, the company announced.

HB-AZI (msn 19020055) left Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil on June 24 with stopovers in Natal Aluizio Alves (Brazil) and Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) before arriving in Switzerland.

The new aircraft is scheduled to make its first commercial flight on Saturday, July 10, from Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg, CH to the Greek island of Santorini (Flights 2L 306 and 2L 307), the airline said in a statement. Thereafter it will be deployed primarily to destinations within Europe.

Three further E195-E2s will be delivered to Helvetic Airways by the end of July, which will conclude on schedule the regional Swiss airline’s fleet renewal programme that began in October 2019, chief executive Tobias Pogorevc told a virtual media conference to mark the transfer of ownership of the aircraft at Embraer’s headquarters on Wednesday, June 23.

He said lower demand for air travel resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had vindicated the carrier’s strategic choices made back in 2018 to opt for the E-Jet E2. “The current crisis has accelerated a regionalisation of air transport and a downsizing of aircraft. With its fleet of four Embraer E190s, eight E190-E2s, and very soon four E195-E2s, Helvetic Airways will possess the optimal aircraft mix to perform its mission in Switzerland and Europe effectively and efficiently,” he said.

The regional carrier currently provides a range of short- and medium-haul scheduled, wet-lease, and charter flights from its Zurich hub. Eight of its E190s are currently operated on behalf of Swiss (LX, Zurich) under a long-term wet-lease agreement.