Airlink Eyes E175-E2 as Future Fleet Option While E195-E2 Rollout Gains Momentum
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Southern Africa’s largest privately owned regional carrier is already looking beyond its current fleet modernization program, with the Embraer E175-E2 emerging as a potential candidate to eventually replace aging smaller jets that have served the airline for more than two decades.
Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht revealed in a recent interview that the carrier is considering the next-generation regional jet once it wraps up the introduction of its ten E195-E2 aircraft and gains sufficient operational experience with the type. The acknowledgment comes as the airline grapples with the inevitable retirement of its twenty-seven Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-140 aircraft, workhorses that face the end of engine support from Rolls-Royce around 2030 or 2031.
“It is an option that we have considered,” Engelbrecht said, “but it is more long-term. We are going to face the retirement of the E135 fleet in the next five years, maybe even sooner. The E175-E2 will become quite interesting then!”
The smaller E2 variant seats between 80 and 90 passengers and promises fuel efficiency gains of 20 to 25 percent per seat compared to its first-generation predecessor. Advanced composite materials and fly-by-wire technology contribute to these improvements, along with a range of roughly 2,000 nautical miles. But there’s a catch—Embraer has effectively shelved the program indefinitely.
A Program on Pause
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer announced in late February 2025 that it would delay the E175-E2 development program by another four years, extending an earlier three-year pause that began in 2022. The ongoing delay traces back to American airline labor agreements known as scope clauses, which restrict the maximum takeoff weight of aircraft that regional carriers can operate under contracts with major airlines to 86,000 pounds. The E175-E2, with its heavier Pratt & Whitney PW1700G engines, exceeds that limit by approximately 12,000 pounds.
Without access to the United States market—by far the world’s largest for regional jets—Embraer has little commercial justification to complete certification and ramp up production. The irony is that the first-generation E175 continues to sell briskly to American operators precisely because it fits within scope clause parameters. With Bombardier having exited the regional jet market and Mitsubishi having abandoned its SpaceJet program, Embraer faces no competition in the segment and sees no urgency to bring a replacement online.
Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto addressed the matter during a recent earnings call, making clear that the E175-E2 remains on hold rather than canceled outright. “That one is on hold because of the scope clause in the US,” he explained. “If any change happens, then we will consider restoring the work on the E175-E2.”
For Airlink, the extended timeline creates uncertainty but hardly derails planning. The airline operates outside North American scope clause restrictions and could theoretically become an early customer when—or if—the aircraft eventually reaches market.
E195-E2 Takes Center Stage
In the meantime, Airlink is focused squarely on integrating its E195-E2 fleet. The carrier took delivery of three aircraft in late 2025 and launched commercial operations on Dec. 22, becoming the first airline in Southern Africa to fly the type. The entry into service followed a five-phase certification process with the South African Civil Aviation Authority, a milestone that also marked the first type acceptance for both the E190-E2 and E195-E2 in the country.
Seven additional aircraft are scheduled for delivery throughout 2026, with the final three arriving in 2027 to complete the current order. The jets seat 136 passengers in a comfortable two-by-two cabin layout that eliminates the dreaded middle seat, a configuration that appeals particularly to business travelers on regional routes.
Engelbrecht has described the fleet expansion as setting Airlink on “a new trajectory,” citing operational flexibility and cost efficiencies that stem from commonality with the airline’s existing E-Jet fleet. Similar flight decks, operating procedures, and handling characteristics should streamline crew training and maintenance operations. The larger aircraft will initially serve busy domestic routes like Johannesburg to Cape Town before expanding into regional markets.
Navigating Engine Concerns
The E195-E2 is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PW1900G Geared Turbofan engine, part of a broader GTF family that has faced well-documented reliability challenges. Manufacturing defects involving contaminated powdered metal have led to widespread inspections, grounded aircraft, and maintenance backlogs across the industry. At mid-2025, roughly 14 to 17 percent of the global E2 fleet sat idle due to engine-related issues, though the situation has been improving.
Engelbrecht acknowledged industry concerns but expressed confidence that robust mitigation measures secured from Embraer, Pratt & Whitney, and lessor Azorra would address potential risks. He noted improving performance trends and positive feedback from other E2 operators regarding support arrangements. Pratt & Whitney, for its part, has invested heavily in durability improvements and expects to clear engine-related groundings across both the A220 and E2 fleets by the end of next year.
To further insulate against supply chain disruptions, Airlink acquired two aging E190 aircraft from lessor TrueNoord in late December. The 19-year-old jets, formerly operated by Air Canada and later Breeze Airways, will be parted out to provide spare engines and components. Once certified and released into service, these parts should help stabilize maintenance operations and improve fleet availability.
Africa Expansion on the Horizon
Perhaps the most exciting development for regional connectivity is Airlink’s aggressive network expansion, enabled largely by the extended range of the E195-E2. The aircraft can reach destinations more than 5,500 kilometers away, opening markets previously beyond the carrier’s operational reach.
West and East Africa feature prominently in expansion plans, with Central Africa also under consideration. More immediately, the airline is preparing to launch service from Johannesburg to Nacala, Mozambique in early February. A new route to Zanzibar, Tanzania will follow in June, operating twice weekly with the E195-E2. The carrier will also boost frequency on its popular Johannesburg-Nairobi connection starting in late March, adding an extra daily flight to serve rising demand for East African travel.
An interline agreement signed with Uganda Airlines in November 2025 opens additional travel corridors, allowing passengers to book single-ticket itineraries between Entebbe and destinations across Southern Africa via Johannesburg. These partnerships and route launches reflect Airlink’s ambition to cement its position as the leading regional airline not just in Southern Africa but across the continent.
The airline now serves more than 45 destinations in 15 countries with a fleet of 72 aircraft—all Embraer products. Qatar Airways took a 25 percent equity stake in 2024, bringing network scale and marketing reach that a standalone regional carrier could never achieve on its own.
Supply Chain Resilience
Global aviation supply chains remain strained nearly five years after the pandemic upended manufacturing and maintenance operations. Airlink’s decision to purchase aircraft specifically for parts cannibalization reflects the practical realities operators face when trying to maintain acceptable dispatch reliability.
The carrier resumed complimentary meal and beverage service on domestic flights last year, a move designed to differentiate from low-cost competitors that stripped away such amenities. But service quality means little if aircraft cannot consistently complete scheduled flights. Fleet availability, always important, has become existential in an industry where replacement parts can take months to procure and engine shop visits stretch beyond 300 days.
For now, Airlink appears well-positioned to navigate these challenges while simultaneously expanding its network and preparing for eventual fleet renewal decisions that may not need to be finalized for another half-decade. The E175-E2 remains a theoretical option rather than an imminent acquisition, but the airline’s willingness to consider the type signals confidence in its long-term viability—assuming, of course, that Embraer eventually completes the program.
Whether American pilot unions will ever relax scope clause restrictions remains anyone’s guess. But for carriers operating outside that peculiar regulatory environment, the E175-E2 could eventually prove an attractive proposition. Airlink, for one, intends to keep watching.
This article was produced in accordance with our editorial standards. Aviantics maintains strict editorial independence.
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