MINSK, 17 September (BelTA) – The national air carrier Belavia has purchased an Embraer-175 jet airliner, BelTA has learnt.
“This opens a new stage in the history of the air company. It gives a start to a comprehensive upgrade of the fleet and expansion of the route network of Belavia,” Director General of the company Anatoly Gusarov said. He noted that it was the first plane custom-made for the Belarusian air carrier. The airplane was bought on terms of leasing from the US company Air Lease Corporation (ALC).
For half a year, Belavia pilots, flight attendants and technical staff were trained to operate the new jet airliner in foreign training centers.
Belavia specialists underlined that the fourth-generation E-175 jet meets the growing needs for regional air services. The purchase of the jet airliner is part of the company’s long-term strategy aiming at more flights on existing routes and opening new destinations. The Embraer-175 jet will be used to operate flights to popular destinations, like Baku, London, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Rome and Saint Petersburg.
Belavia informed that the E-175 medium-range model is somewhere between a bigger Boeing 737 and a comparatively small CRJ-100/200. The new jet has 76 seats, including 12 business-class seats and 64 economy-class seats. The new interior concept guarantees comfortable flights. All E-Jets use four-abreast seating and have a "double-bubble" design.
Embraer-175 was the 19th airplane bought by the Belarusian air carrier. Another Embraer-175 will be delivered in early October 2012. The company plans the further expansion and upgrade of the fleet throughout 2013.
At present Belavia has six Boeing 737-500 planes, five Boeing 737-300 planes, four CRJ-100/200 planes, one Embraer-175 plane and three Тu-154М planes.
Belavia, Belarus’s largest air carrier, was established in 1996. The company is based in the National Airport Minsk. It operates regular flights from Minsk, Gomel and Grodno to 42 destinations in 24 countries of Europe and Asia. In 1997 Belavia joined the IATA, in 2010 the European Regions Airline Association (ERAA). In 2008 Belavia joined the list of IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) operators. Belavia meets the highest international safety standards.
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