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Embraer and Gulf Air signed a preliminary agreement, today, during the Bahrain International Airshow, by which two EMBRAER 170 jets would be operated by the airline through an operating lease.
“We are absolutely delighted to be selected by this renowned Gulf region airline, in this milestone year of its 60th anniversary,” said José Luis Molina, Embraer Vice President, Europe, the Middle East and Africa – Airline Market. “We now look forward to concluding the final contract and having our E-Jets form an important part of Gulf Air’s growth plans.”
Both EMBRAER 170 jets – configured in a dual-class layout, featuring seven seats in business class and 60 in economy – would be scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2010. The aircraft also come with a state-of-the-art In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system for maximum cabin convenience.
“As Gulf Air takes another step forward in a new strategic direction, I am delighted to have been able to sign this important agreement here, today, at the Kingdom of Bahrain’s first International Air Show,” said Samer Majali, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air. “We are introducing a new concept in regional travel. The realignment and expansion of our regional and international network, and our fleet, will reinforce our position as the carrier with the largest number of Middle East connections through our Bahrain Airport hub. And to deliver this, we need aircraft that are flexible and can meet these demands.”
About Gulf Air
Gulf Air (www.GulfAir.com) was founded in 1950, and is one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East. The national carrier is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, through Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company. Its goal has remained constant – a commitment to the latest aviation technology and an adherence to traditional Arabian hospitality. The airline offers customers the unique advantage of the largest network in the Middle East with nonstop flights, while providing seamless onward connections to other destinations. Gulf Air’s current network stretches from Europe to Asia, serving over 40 destinations, worldwide, with a fleet of more than 30 aircraft. The airline enjoys codeshare agreements with 15 airlines around the world, offering a wider choice of flights that can be booked directly with Gulf Air.
Parallel to the dynamic growth plans of the Kingdom, as laid out in its “Vision 2030”, Gulf Air has embarked on a business strategy to upgrade its fleet over the next five years, in order to further strengthen its presence as a leading international airline.
About the EMBRAER 170/190 Family of E-Jets
The EMBRAER 170/190 family of E-Jets consists of four commercial jets with 70 to 122 seats, featuring advanced engineering design, efficient performance, outstanding operating economics, low emission levels and a spacious cabin.
The E-Jets have a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.82, can fly at 41,000 feet (12,497 meters), and have ranges of up to 2,400 nautical miles (4,448 km). The high degree of commonality among the four aircraft – EMBRAER 170, EMBRAER 175, EMBRAER 190 and EMBRAER 195 – results in exceptional savings for carriers, in terms of crew training and costs of spare parts and maintenance. Another key feature of the E-Jets is the state-of-the-art fly-by-wire technology, which increases operating safety, while reducing pilot workload and fuel consumption.
The EMBRAER 170/190 family provides superior comfort with its double-bubble fuselage design, which includes two main passenger entrances and two service doors that minimize aircraft turn-around time. The E-Jets offer much more space for passengers, in a single or dual-class layout, than other aircraft with similar seating capacities.
The E-Jets have achieved outstanding success, with nearly 900 firm orders logged and over 600 jets in operation, worldwide. This proven family is helping airlines to right-size low load factor narrow-body routes, replace older, inefficient aircraft, and develop new markets with lower operating costs, greater efficiency, and outstanding passenger comfort. For more information about Embraer’s commercial jets, visit EmbraerCommercialJets.com. To better understand the benefits of these aircraft, when substituting older jets, visit eforefficiency.com/.
Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. - NYSE: ERJ; BM&FBovespa: EMBR3) is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil’s leading exporters. Embraer’s headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore, and the United States. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide. On December 31, 2009, Embraer (embraer.com) had a workforce of 16,853 employees – not counting the employees of its partly owned subsidiaries – and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 16.6 billion.
This document may contain projections, statements and estimates regarding circumstances or events yet to take place. Those projections and estimates are based largely on current expectations, forecasts on future events and financial tendencies that affect Embraer’s businesses. Those estimates are subject to risks, uncertainties and suppositions that include, among others: general economic, political and trade conditions in Brazil and in those markets where Embraer does business; expectations on industry trends; the Company’s investment plans; its capacity to develop and deliver products on the dates previously agreed upon, and existing and future governmental regulations. The words “believe”, “may”, “is able”, “will be able”, “intend”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “expect” and other similar terms are supposed to identify potentialities. Embraer does not feel compelled to publish updates nor to revise any estimates due to new information, future events or any other facts. In view of the inherent risks and uncertainties, such estimates, events and circumstances may not take place. The actual results can therefore differ substantially from those previously published as Embraer expectations.
North America
Christine Manna
E: cmanna[.]embraer.com.
Cell: +1 954 383 9950
T: +1 954 359 3879
F: +1 954 359 4755
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Stéphane Guilbaud
E: sguilbaud[.]embraer.fr.
Cell: +33 6 7522 8519
T: +33 1 4938 4455
F: +33 1 4938 4456
China
Tracy Chen
E: tracy.chen[.]bjs.embraer.com.
Cell: +86 139 1018 2281
T: +86 10 6598 9988
F: +86 10 6598 9986
Asia Pacific
Shorbani Roy
E: shorbani.roy[.]sin.embraer.com.
Cell: +65 9794 2401
T: +65 6305 9955
F: +65 6734 8255.
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carlos.camargo[.]embraer.com.br 
