Air Canada became the first North American airline to take delivery of two different models of Embraer’s new E-Jet series, when on December 12 its first 93-seat Embraer 190 arrived at its Montreal base. By then the airline had already taken delivery of 13 of 15 Embraer 175s, the last of which it expects this month. All told, it has placed firm orders for 60 E-Jets, including 45 Embraer 190s. Air Canada’s Embraer 190s carry a two-class interior, filled with three rows of three-abreast seating in the front of the cabin and 21 rows of four-abreast seating in coach.
The third airline to take delivery of the Embraer 190, following New York’s JetBlue and Panama’s COPA, Air Canada plans to use the airplanes primarily on Canada-U.S. transborder routes, where the airline expects to take full advantage of November’s conclusion of a new Open Skies agreement between the North American neighbors.
The first delivery to Air Canada came a week after Transport Canada granted the Embraer 190 its third type certificate. Flying with JetBlue since November, the model had already won FAA and Brazilian approval over the summer. Embraer expects to earn a certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency “shortly,” well ahead of scheduled first deliveries to Finnair by the end of this year and France’s Regional Compagnie Aerienne Europeenne early next year.