Texas’s Envoy Air to add E170s
Envoy Air (MQ, Dallas/Fort Worth) has announced it is planning to add its first E170s with at least six units scheduled for delivery in the coming months. Senior Vice-President (Air Operations) Dee Temples indicated in the carrier’s statement that Envoy Air saw “further growth opportunities” for its E170 fleet going forward. The regional capacity provider, which operates exclusively for its parent American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth), will reconfigure the Embraer regional jets for 65 passengers. Because of that, the aircraft will pass as small regional jets for the purposes of the scope clause agreements regulating the outsourcing of regional operations by American Airlines. The carrier faces stricter limits on the number of larger regional jets, seating between 66 and 76 passengers, it can operate. According to an internal memo disclosed by Simple Flying, Envoy Air plans to start adding the E170s in late May and to launch their scheduled operations in early July 2021. Envoy Air currently operates ten EMB-140LRs, fifty-seven EMB-145LRs, and ninety-five E175s on behalf of American Airlines, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. The airline did not disclose the source of the aircraft, save only that they will come from Azorra Aviation. They are believed to be ex-BA CityFlyer (CJ, London City) stock. The regional unit of British Airways retired four of its six E170s in March 2020. The other two continued to fly through December 2020 and January 2021, respectively, with the last revenue flight of the type operated on January 17, 2021, by G-LCYI (msn 17000305), from Belfast City to London City. Two aircraft are currently undergoing maintenance at Warsaw Chopin airport and the other four parked at Norwich, Flightradar24 ADS-B data indicates. All six aircraft remain registered in the UK, are owned by BA CityFlyer and are 11.4 years old on average. In their current configuration, each seats up to 74 passengers. Besides the six E170s, BA CityFlyer also operates twenty-two E190s on behalf of British Airways.