First Embraer E-170 Delivered to Japan Airlines (JAL)

Embraer delivered the first Embraer 170 jet to Japan Airlines (JAL) Friday. According to the contract signed by the two companies in June of last year, JAL has a total of 10 firm orders for the Embraer 170, with options to purchase another five airplanes of the same model.

The Embraer 170 is configured to seat 76 passengers in a single-class layout, and will be operated by J-AIR, which is a fully-owned subsidiary of JAL, serving the company's regional network in Japan.

"It is a great pleasure to deliver the first Embraer 170 to a customer as distinguished as JAL, recognized worldwide for its operational excellence," said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President & CEO. "As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil, all of us at Embraer are deeply honored to see our E-Jets flying in the skies of Japan and in the colors of Japan Airlines."

"Japan Airlines is delighted to be the first carrier in Japan to welcome the Embraer 170 jet into its fleet," said Haruka Nishimatsu, JAL Group President & CEO. "The aircraft features interior comfort and state-of-the-art equipment that will provide our passengers with an outstanding in-flight experience. This jet will enable the JAL Group to develop business operations on its domestic routes more efficiently, and take full advantage of the business opportunities that will arise from airport expansion in the Tokyo metropolitan area in 2010."

Embraer's E-Jets family is one of the aircraft programs that has enjoyed the greatest success in the world's commercial aviation market. By June 30, 2008, it had logged 847 firm orders and 827 options. Today, this family has been ordered by more than 50 customers in 30 countries, worldwide. Over 430 aircraft are already in operation, surpassing 2 million flight hours.

The JAL Group is Asia's largest airline, in terms of the number of passengers carried. In FY2008, ended March 31, 2008, some 55 million passengers flew with JAL and its seven subsidiary airlines. The JAL Group airlines serve 216 airports in 34 countries and territories, including 60 airports in Japan. The network extends over 246 international passenger, 37 international cargo, and 154 domestic passenger routes. The just-delivered 76-seat plane will be used by J-AIR, JAL's domestic unit, for the Nagoya-Fukuoka and other routes from February 2009. The JAL group plans to operate the coming E170s on new routes, including the one between Fukuoka and Shizuoka, where an airport is scheduled to be opened in March 2009.