Alliance Aviation, an Australian company specializing in the so-called ‘wet leasing’, announced onMonday that it had closed the purchase of 30 Embraer E190 jets with AerCap.
Although it only said that the aircraft are operated by a US airline, they would be part of the JetBlue Airways fleet.
The carrier founded by businessman David Neeleman has a leasing contract for 30 E190s that had been closed with GECAS, a company that was taken over by AerCap.
JetBlue had already revealed its intention to withdraw its fleet of Embraer aircraft from service by mid-2025.
One hundred jets
“This acquisition will provide Alliance with increased capacity, access to major componentry including engines and enhanced operational capability,” said Alliance’s Managing Director, Scott McMillan.
The aircraft will start to be delivered in September, in a gradual process that will be completed in January 2026. The E190s will undergo a refurbishment process before entering service in Australia.
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Alliance also said that some planes will be dismantled and their engines and components used to maintain a stock for the rest of the fleet.
The company’s plan is to have 100 jets in 2026, with 63 E190s and 37 Fokker 70s and 100s.
Extended deal with Qantas
Alliance has benefited from the resumption of passenger demand from Qantas Airways, Australia’s largest carrier. Currently, 18 E190 jets fly in the colors of the subsidiary QantasLink on routes between smaller cities in the country.
Last week, Alliance and Qantas decided to expand the agreement to 30 E190 aircraft in wet lease.
