Business news

MINSK, 9 April (BelTA) – The Belarusian air carrier Belavia will get five Embraer aircraft on leasing terms in 2019-2020, BelTA learned from Belavia Director General Anatoly Gusarov on 9 April.

The executive said: “We’ve finished negotiations with the Irish company Nordic Aviation Capital on acquiring five Embraer aircraft on leasing terms.” In line with the contracts Belavia will get three Embraer 195 aircraft and two Embraer 175 aircraft. The manufacturer will hand over the aircraft on operating lease terms for 12 years.

The first three aircraft — two Embraer 195 and one Embraer 175 — are expected to be delivered in April 2019. The two other aircraft will be delivered in December 2019 and April 2020. “We will get three out of the five aircraft in the run-up to the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019,” noted the Belavia director general.

An Embraer 175 aircraft is designed to carry 76 passengers (12 ones in business class and 64 ones in economy). An Embraer 195 aircraft is designed to carry 11 business-class passengers and 96 economy-class ones. The five new aircraft will be used virtually for all the regular flights of Belavia.

After the leasing period is over, the aircraft will be returned to the leasing company. The operating lease scheme allows air carriers to flexibly manage the composition of their fleets to match demand and the volume of transportation by air.

At present Belavia operates four Embraer aircraft. This year the company intends to get three new aircraft, which have been bought outright. Five more will be added to the fleet in 2019-2020 on leasing terms. By April 2020 Belavia’s fleet will include 12 Embraer aircraft.