Mexicana de Aviacion Places Firm Order For 20 Embraer E2 Jets

As it nears its first anniversary since rising from the ashes, state-owned Mexicana de Aviación has firmed up a previously talked-about order for 20 Embraer E-2 jets. A similar story emerged in February this year, but as this development came directly from Embraer earlier this month, it most certainly can be relied upon.

Under the control of Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), Mexicana de Aviación (Mexicana) is the second coming of the former national airline Mexicana, which ceased operations in August 2010. The revived airline was announced in early 2023, and after a few false starts, it eventually operated its first flight in December last year.

The current situation

In June 2024, Embraer announced that Mexicana de Aviación had ordered 20 Embraer E2 aircraft, including ten E190-E2 and ten E195-E2 jets. When the new-generation aircraft join Mexicana’s fleet in the second quarter of 2025, the airline will be the first carrier in Mexico to operate the E2 aircraft.

Photo: aarows | Shutterstock

Mexicana has a charter to provide affordable air transport within Mexico to democratize travel and stimulate demand. It is based at the contentious second airport, Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International (NLU), which needs significant passenger traffic to justify its existence.

Related

Off We Go: Mexicana De Aviacion Soars Back To The Skies

13 years after ceasing operations, Mexicana de Aviación is back in the skies. However, its first flight was diverted.

The airport is also state-owned and operated by SEDENA and has gained ground as the city’s primary air cargo hub, mainly due to prohibitive operating restrictions on cargo operators at Mexico City International Airport (MEX). When Mexicana re-launched last year, the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh questioned why it was necessary and argued that state-owned carriers are outdated.

The E2 is a good fit for Mexicana

As an airline focused on low fares, Mexicana has chosen well by ordering the Embraer E2 jets. The low operating costs, reduced fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions are definite advantages for the carrier. The Embraer E2s also support Mexicana’s sustainability goals and bring a new level of comfort to the domestic and regional markets they will serve.

Photo: Guilherme Amancio Moreno | Shutterstock

In June, Embraer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Priscilla Doro Solymossy, welcomed Mexicana to the E2 family as the “first E2 operator in Mexico.”

“Seeing the success and rapid growth Mexicana has achieved since it restarted operations in December 2023 has been remarkable. The airline is already flying to 18 destinations and has transported more than 115,000 passengers accumulating 3,280 flight hours in this short period, reflecting its commitment to operational excellence and customer service.”

At the end of April 2024, Embraer reported an aircraft order backlog worth $21.1 billion, the highest over the past seven years. By segment, the backlog included $11.1 billion for commercial aircraft, $4.6 billion for executive jets, $3.1 billion for services and support and $2.4 billion for defense and security.

Related

Embraer Reaches Record $21.1 Billion Order Backlog

2024 is shaping up to be a good year for Embraer as its order backlog grows while it delivers a record number of aircraft.

In commercial aviation, Embraer was holding orders for 381 aircraft, including 179 E195-E2s, 15 E190-E2s and 187 E175s, which did not include the Mexicana orders. The largest customer for the E195-E2 is Canada’s Porter Airlines, which (at the end of April) had received 32 and had a further 43 in backlog, followed by Brazil’s Azul Airlines, which had 51 in the E195-E2 pipeline.

Have you flown with Mexicana this year? Let us know in the comments.