Alaska Airlines is planning to acquire 11 Embraer E175 aircraft through a 1.3 billion reais ($260 million) financing from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). The disbursements will be made in Brazilian reais in the South American country directly to Embraer, reports MercoPress.
The aircraft are for its subsidiary Horizon Air with the scheduled delivery expected between 2023 and 2024. This transaction marks BNDES's first aircraft export financing with Alaska Airlines.
Aloizio Mercadante, president, BNDES, said: “The Bank has been a long-standing partner of Embraer in supporting aircraft exports, allowing the company to maintain highly skilled jobs in Brazil, generating significant investments, and strengthening the country’s position in the international market.”
“BNDES has played a fundamental role in facilitating the export of Brazilian products with high added value, such as the aeronautical sector. BNDES and Embraer have partnered since 1997. The Bank provides competitive conditions similar to those offered by international competitors,” added Antonio Carlos Garcia, Vice President, finance and investor relations, Embraer.
Going ahead, Alaska Airlines claim that the E175 will be a perfect fit to serve Horizon Air’s regional network in the Pacific Northwest.
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 over 1,000 movies and TV shows. First class customers also enjoy 110-volt power in every seat. All passengers flying on the E175 enjoy a window or aisle seat.
Last year, Horizon Air announced it would transition to a single fleet of all E175 jets. It currently has 69 aircraft, including 39 E170.
Additionally, Alaska Airlines announced a partnership with Intelsat to outfit its E175 regional fleet with high-speed connectivity. Alaska Airlines is investing $25 million to upgrade the travel experience for the guests onboard Horizon Air. The system will debut on Horizon Air in early 2024 and roll out across the regional jet fleet, including Alaska Airlines’ partnership with SkyWest, over a two-year period.