Japan Airlines leans toward Embraer for regional jet order

Japan Airlines is leaning toward selecting Embraer over Airbus for the purchase of roughly 20 regional aircraft, according to Bloomberg News. The potential choice would be a strategic boost for the Brazilian manufacturer in the Asian market and a setback for its European competitor's A220 programme.

The Japanese carrier has been studying the addition of new equipment for months, weighing Embraer's E2 family against Airbus's A220. A final decision on the fleet is scheduled to come as early as October, though people familiar with the matter stress that circumstances could still change.

A selection favouring the E2 would let Embraer strengthen its relationship with one of its main customers in Asia, while denying Airbus's A220 a reference international operator after earlier wins for the Brazilian aircraft at carriers including ANA Holdings, Finnair and SAS Scandinavian Airlines.

Both candidate models sit in the high-efficiency single-aisle segment for short-range domestic and regional routes. The standard E190-E2 seats 97 passengers in a two-class layout, while the comparable A220-100 can accommodate up to 120. Both are powered by Pratt & Whitney turbofans.