Nicholas Ionides/SINGAPORE
Chinese carriers continue to add aggressively to their regional jet fleets in line with government calls, with Embraer confirming it has agreed deals covering the sale of 40 ERJ-145s.
The company says the contracts, with two carriers, are awaiting final Chinese Government approval. Brazilian Government officials formally asked that approval be granted during meetings with Chinese president Jiang Zemin in Brazil in mid-April.
"The speedy conclusion of this approval from the Chinese Government has been called for by the Brazilian Government and we are waiting for due formalisation," says Embraer.
Although the manufacturer will not identify the carriers, one is known to be China Southern Airlines, which signed a memorandum of agreement with Embraer earlier this year, covering the purchase of up to 30 ERJ-145s, 20 as firm orders and 10 as options.
Civil Aviation Administration of China officials have been urging carriers to order turboprops and regional jets to build a US-style "hub and spoke" air network.
As a result Bombardier, Embraer and Fairchild Dornier have sold aircraft to Chinese carriers over the past 18 months.
Embraer has sold five ERJ-145s to Sichuan Airlines, while Fairchild Dornier has sold 40 328JETs to Hainan Airlines. Bombardier has sold CRJs to Shandong Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Yunnan Airlines, and has negotiated a tentative deal to sell up to 30 CRJs to China Eastern Airlines.
Source: Flight International
