Continental Express Buys Another 100 ERJs

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- Orders by Continental Express for a further 100 Embraer ERJ 135 and 145 regional jet airliners were announced here yesterday, raising to 200 the number of jet aircraft the carrier has ordered from the Brazilian manufacturer since l996.

The new orders comprise 75 of the 45-seat ERJ 145s and 25 of the smaller, 35-seat ERJ 135s, and include a previously undisclosed order for 25 ERJ 145s that was placed in December 1999.

All the aircraft covered in the new order are due to be delivered by 2003, by the second or third quarter of which Continental Express will be operating an all-jet fleet.

"People thought we were crazy when, at Farnborough '96, we said we expected to buy 200 regional jets within ten years, and here we are, confirming orders which will take us to that figure less than four years later," said Continental Express marketing director Bruce Kink here yesterday. "I don't think any other operator has announced plans for as many as 200 regional jets."

In service for less than three years, Continental Express's existing regional jet fleet is already serving 68 of the 100 communities on its network, in the USA, Canada and Mexico .

Kink implied that, in some locations, turboprop services have become virtually unsaleable, citing passengers choosing to drive 200 miles for a jet connection to one of parent company Continental's hubs rather than take a turboprop link from a local airport.

Because of this, Continental Express is already well launched into disposing of its turboprop equipment - 25 Beech 1900s, 22 EMB 120 Brasilias and 38 ATR 42s and 72s are all due to be gone in three years. Currently, its jet fleet numbers 57 ERJ 145s and eight ERJ 135s.

Embraer's executive VP, commercial, Frederico Curado, said that his company was currently delivering 12 RJs a month, would reach 14 a month later this year and was studying a further acceleration of the production rate to 16 monthly.

By Bob Rodwell