TUI fly Belgium has recently received its first Embraer E195-E2 regional jet, marking the beginning of the airline's operations with the new aircraft type. The delivered plane is the first of three that the airline is expecting to receive, and it will replace the airline's older E190s, according to a report by Aviation24.be.
The new arrival
The airline's Embraer E195-E2, temporarily registered as EI-GYW, flew from Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland and touched at TUI Belgium's base at Brussels Airport (BRU) on May 5, according to Flightradar24.com data.
The 2-year-old E195-E2 jet, previously operated by Belavia, was returned from lease to AerCap and will receive a new registration, OO-ETB, once it is entered into the Belgian registry.
As it stands, TUI fly Belgium currently has 29 aircraft in its fleet, with Boeing 737 being the backbone of its fleet. The fleet comprises 19 Boeing 737s, four Airbus A320s, four Embraer E190s, and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, according to ch-aviation.com. The new E915-E2 is intended to replace TUI's fleet of older Embraer E190 jets and operate short-and-mid-haul routes.
TUI added that it would primarily base these three aircraft out of Antwerp, a city in the north of Belgium. Earlier, the airline's Chief Airline Officer, Marco Ciomperlik, remarked that:
"They will fly to more distant airports, which will allow us to expand into new holiday destinations from Northern Belgium."
The Embraer E195-E2 boasts a greater range and larger seating capacity in comparison to the E190, with the former capable of flying up to a maximum range of 2,600 nautical miles, while the latter can travel up to 2,450 nautical miles. As a result, the E195-E2 will be able to connect Antwerp with a broader range of destinations, including all of Europe, parts of the Middle East, and parts of North Africa.
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It is worth noting that these aircraft will be delivered with a single-class configuration that will seat up to 136 passengers with four seats per row. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney engines that use less fuel while operating over a more extended range, emitting less CO2.
TUI fly Belgium signed a long-term lease agreement with Irish lessor AerCap back in October 2022. The remaining two aircraft are expected to be delivered by June 2023.
11 destinations from Antwerp
In response to the growing demand for air travel options to popular tourist destinations during the summer of 2023, TUI fly Belgium has expanded its services by introducing three new routes that will connect Antwerp to Spain, Turkey, and Greece, offering passengers more travel choices.
As a result, Antwerp's number of destinations will increase to 11 in summer 2023 with the addition of three new routes. All three new services are launched with a twice-weekly schedule.
To check TUI fly Belgium's exact flight schedule from Antwerp, please click here.
What are your thoughts on TUI Belgium's decision to operate the Embraer E195-E2? Share your opinion in the comments section.
Sources: Aviation24.be, Flightradar24.com, ch-aviation.com