Virgin Australia has announced it will be taking delivery of the Embraer E190-E2 to replace its ageing regional Fokker fleet. They currently expect to take delivery of the first of 8 aircraft later in 2025.
It’s a bit of a back to the future scenario. Virgin Australia has previously operated E190 aircraft, albeit an earlier generation, in the past.
The aircraft will be based in Perth and used for Virgin Australia Regional Airlines. This will see the aircraft operate around Western Australia, mainly on charter services.
According to Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka “the new aircraft would improve performance, reliability and customer comfort.”
When the first new E190-E2 enters service from October 2025, it will become the first brand new aircraft in the WA charter market this century.
The E190-E2 is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its segment and will reduce emissions by about 30 per cent compared to the outgoing F100. These aircraft also feature significantly lower noise profiles and enhanced passenger comfort.
When the E190-E2 joins the fleet from late next year it will predominantly operate charter flights for VARA, bolstering its position as a leading operator in the WA charter market.
Inside the aircraft, seating will be in a 2-2 configuration. This means everyone will have a window or aisle seat, and no one will have the middle seat.
The changeover from the F100 to the E190 offers benefits not only to passengers, but those on the ground. If there was one thing you could say about the F100s is would be they were noisy. The lower noise levels will benefit passengers and residents around airports.
