Singapore's Scoot Orders Embraer E190-E2

Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot today proudly announced that it signed a letter of intent to lease nine new Embraer E190-E2 aircraft. The aircraft’s addition would make the low-cost carrier the first Singaporean outfit to fly the type.

The expansion continues

It has been just over a decade since Scoot commenced operations, with the airline’s fleet shifting significantly since its formation. It initially operated a fleet of Boeing 777-200ERs obtained from its parent company. Then, in 2015, it began taking on 787 Dreamliners.

When it comes to narrowbody vessels, the operator currently holds Airbus A320-200, A320neo, and A321neo aircraft. There was also a quad of A319-100s in the mix between 2017 and 2019.

There will soon be another manufacturer in the fold amid the upcoming deliveries of nine Embraer twinjets. There are plenty of prospects to be had with the E190-E2. Scoot's units will be able to serve 112 passengers in a single-class setup on routes spanning up to five hours of flight time.

The right support

Notably, the aircraft has been praised for its efficiency across the skies. After final flight tests of the model in early 2018, Embraer noted it had 1.3% better fuel consumption than anticipated. With help from the Pratt & Whitney PurePower Geared Turbofans that replaced the General Electric engines, the overall improvement is 17.3% compared to the original E190. Thus, Scoot will be keen to benefit from these factors across its short-haul operations.

Scoot CEO Leslie Thng shared the following about the move in a company statement:

"Expanding Scoot's fleet to include nine new E190-E2 aircraft enables us to continue operating a modern and fuel-efficient fleet. It also affirms our commitment to offer even more travel opportunities for our customers at the same great value. The new aircraft ensures that Scoot is ready for growth by enhancing our connectivity in the region and supports the further development of our Singapore hub."

The maximum cruise speed of Scoot’s E2 is 0.82 Mach. Moreover, the range is 2,850 NM / 5,278 km. They will arrive from lessor Azorra from 2024. The complete delivery schedule is set to finish by the time 2025 is over.

Gaining traction

It's been a busy few months for Scoot. Following a tough few years amid the pandemic, it had been reaching closer to 2019 levels at the end of 2022, marking the momentum by joining IATA. All in all, the airline closed 2022 with a load factor of 91.6%.

With this uptick, it’s the perfect time for the E190-E2 to bolster the carrier’s fleet. The aircraft has plenty of growth potential in several regions. It received type certification in Canada in December. This update followed its certification in China in November.

Altogether, the E190-E2 and E195-E2 will combine with the Airbus A220 to give airlines plenty of choice in this next chapter of regional operations. We can expect numerous additional carriers to take on these productions in this recovery period.

February 17, 2023