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FARNBOROUGH - Alaska Air Group announced plans to grow its regional fleet with an order of eight new additional E175 jets and options for 13 more. The E175 aircraft will fly exclusively for Alaska Airlines (AS) under a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Horizon Air (QX).
The deal's value, including options, is US$1.12bn at list price. QX's new 76-seat aircraft from this order will be delivered in AS' livery and three-class configuration over the next four years starting in Q2 2023.
Mark Neely, VP Americas, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, "The E175 is the backbone of the US regional network, feeding airport hubs across the country as well as producing the connectivity all communities need to thrive, both economically and socially. While this market is currently under pressure, it is essential that carriers are able to provide these essential services to the entire United States. The Embraer E175, with 85% market share in its segment, is keeping the US on the move and in touch."
Nat Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance, and alliances for AS said, "The E175 is an extremely efficient aircraft...The jet is the perfect aircraft to serve Horizon's regional network in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Our guests will enjoy a consistent, three-class cabin experience as they travel from smaller communities to catch flights across Alaska's larger hubs or on one of our many global airline partners."
The Horizon Air 76-seat E175 jet features 12 seats in First Class, 12 in Premium Class, and 52 in the Main Cabin. Onboard amenities include free entertainment featuring more than 1,000 movies and TV shows. Additionally, customers seated in First Class enjoy 110-volt power in every seat.
Transitioning to a Single Jet Fleet
Earlier this year, Horizon Air announced it would move to a single fleet of all E175 jets. The carrier currently flies a mix of 31 Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft and 30 E175s. It will take delivery of 9 E175s over the next year as part of a previous order that includes three deliveries in 2025. With this order, by 2026, if not sooner, QX will have a fleet of 50 E175s.
With bases in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska, Horizon serves more than 45 cities throughout the Pacific Northwest, California, the Midwest, and British Columbia and Alberta in Canada.
The Alaska Airlines' E175 experience includes:
- Seat pitch is 31 inches in the main cabin, 34 inches in Premium Class, and between 36 and 38 inches in First Class.
- All guests flying on the E175 will enjoy a window or aisle seat.
- The regional jet is equipped with large overhead bins.
- Maximum cruising altitude: 41,000 feet
- Typical cruising speed: 494 mph
Embraer's North America market share in the 70-90-seat segment has been 86% since 2013, with 635 net orders (643 accounting for Alaska's new orders). There are currently 601 E175s serving U.S. carriers in cities across Canada, the USA, Mexico, and Central America
Featured image: Alaska Airlines (Horizon Air) N628QX Embraer E175. Photo: Daniel Gorun/Airways
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