French carrier Regional Airlines is evaluating 70/85-seat jets and plans to make a selection by the end of this year, clearing the way for the first three aircraft to be introduced from 2002. The largest type in the airline's fleet is the 50-seat Embraer RJ-145 (above).
Under study are the British Aerospace Avro RJ-X, Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet Series 700, Fairchild Aerospace 728JET and proposed ERJ-170/190 family from Embraer, says Regional Airlines' international sales director, Christophe Gougeon.
The larger aircraft are needed to cater for strong passenger demand on routes such as Clermont Ferrand and Marseille to Amsterdam, says Gougeon. He admits Embraer is an outside contender for the order because its 70- and 90-seaters are unlikely to be available in time.
"We plan to buy 70/85-seat aircraft but we're not sure what type of aircraft we're going to buy," says Gougeon. Regional is aiming to achieve an all-jet fleet by 2004.
The carrier has six ERJ-145s in service and a further nine on firm order, and also has commitments for five smaller ERJ-135s. The turboprop fleet comprises seven Saab 2000s, eight Embraer Brasilias and four British Aerospace Jetstream 31s.
Source: Flight International
