Japan Airlines orders up to 26 Embraer E190-E2 for regional unit J-Air

Japan Airlines has settled how it will renew its regional fleet, choosing the Embraer E190-E2 over the Airbus A220. The order covers up to 26 aircraft for J-Air, the group's regional subsidiary: ten firm orders and options on a further sixteen. Deliveries begin in the 2029 financial year.

The carrier said lower operating and maintenance costs were among the deciding factors, along with a shift in demand on Japanese domestic routes. According to the airline, the E190-E2 brings a substantial improvement in fuel efficiency and a marked reduction in CO2 emissions, and its lower noise levels benefit passengers.

Japan's domestic market is changing. Japan Airlines described declining business-traveller demand, long-term demographic change and rising costs driven by inflation and currency swings. The smaller regional jet is the appropriate answer.

Competitor ANA All Nippon Airways had already selected the E190-E2, using it to replace larger aircraft on domestic services that no longer justify the capacity as Japan's population shrinks.

The choice was not clear-cut. The A220 and the E2 each have advantages, and the decision depends heavily on how an operator intends to use them. The A220 has the stronger cabin, range, sales record and the weight of Airbus behind it, while the E2 is credited with advantages in weight, operating and maintenance costs and noise emissions.