OREANDA-NEWS. May 16, 2012. The national flag carrier of Estonia and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) have signed a contract for the lease of two new E190 aircraft, which will be delivered to Estonia during the first quarter of 2013, reported the press-centre of Estonian Air.

Estonian Air has selected Embraer, the largest producer of regional aircraft, as a regional jet manufacturer. Estonian Air is estimating a requirement for up to 12 Embraer E-Jet aircraft that enable the company to increase flight frequencies, open new destinations and to operate at least double daily services to main destinations in Europe. The airline is committing to pragmatic and sustainable growth in the future.

The first four 76-seater Embraer 170 were delivered to Estonia in February 2012 under a lease agreement with Finnair. The company is currently negotiating with the manufacturer and lessors on the delivery schedules and conditions for up to six additional aircraft. These aircraft will be a mix of E-175 and E-190 models, which offer 88 and 112 seats respectively. The aircraft are scheduled to enter the fleet in the 2013-2015 time period.

According to Tero Taskila, the President of Estonian Air, Embraers are well suited for the company’s new strategy. The E-190 aircraft allows Estonian Air to improve the schedule into longer destinations, like Paris, Amsterdam, London, and to open new destinations.