British Airways Orders an Additional Embraer 190 for BA CityFlyer

British Airways has ordered an additional Embraer 190, which will be operated by London City Airport-based BA CityFlyer, British Airways’ regional subsidiary.

When delivered during the third quarter of 2012, The Embraer 190 will bolster BA CityFlyer’s total fleet size to 14 aircraft, all of them Embraer E-Jets.

“BA CityFlyer’s follow-on order is a clear endorsement of the airline’s confidence in the E-Jets’ adaptability to its expanding London City Airport network,” says Paulo Cesar Silva, Embraer’s president, commercial aviation. “BA CityFlyer can fully capitalize on the versatility and comfort that the E190 and E170 offer.”

BA CityFlyer, British Airways' regional-airline subsidiary that flies from London City Airport near London's Docklands financial center, has transitioned to an all-Embraer E-Jet fleet that from the third quarter of 2012 would include six Embraer 170s and eight Embraer 190s. One of the carrier's Embraer 190s is shown here, captured during an air-to-air photography session

This additional aircraft, configured with 98 seats with a 33-inch (84-centimeter) pitch single-class cabin layout, will enable BA CityFlyer to expand its route network from London City Airport. According to Embraer, BA CityFlyer is now the largest operator from LCY, with the highest number of routes and customers.

“We are very excited about the arrival of our 14th E-Jet, which will add frequency to existing business destinations and will enable us to open up new flying possibilities to popular leisure destinations,” says Peter Simpson, BA CityFlyer’s managing director.

“The Embraer 190 is a terrifically fuel-efficient aircraft,” adds Simpson. “It meets our environmental objectives and also delivers more space so we can offer a generous 23kg luggage allowance to each customer.”

Launched on March 5, 2007, BA CityFlyer is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways. Based at London City Airport, the airline operates a network of UK domestic and European services embracing 20 destinations.

BA CityFlyer currently operates an all-Embraer E-Jets fleet featuring six 76-seat Embraer 170s and seven 98-seat Embraer 190s. The airline recently launched new routes to Southern Europe and to Spain’s Balearic Islands (of which Majorca and Ibiza are the largest and best-known).

In addition to the introduction of these new leisure destinations, BA CityFlyer has also increased frequencies on a number of its most popular routes, including Amsterdam, Glasgow and Edinburgh.