Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto said that the company is in talks with LATAM and Gol for potential agreements for E2 jets.
The statement was made during a media event and revealed by Bloomberg.
The unusual indiscretion of Gomes Neto, who does not usually give details of ongoing negotiations, occurs on the eve of the Farnborough Airshow, scheduled for the end of July.
The event is the stage for major sales announcements and could be an indication that Embraer already has a pre-arranged agreement.
The inclusion of Gol and LATAM, however, is surprising as the two Brazilian carriers are customers of Boeing and Airbus and operate with aircraft configured with at least 138 seats.
The only E2 customer in Brazil is competitor Azul, which has a more comprehensive air network.
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Despite this, both LATAM and Gol operate aircraft with an advanced average age among their smaller capacity jets, which is a favorable indication for the E195-E2, for example, which normally carries between 132 and 136 passengers.
LATAM has 19 Airbus A319s with an average age of almost 15 years, while Gol operates 14 Boeing 737-700s that have been in service for almost 19 years.
While the A319 is configured with 144 seats, the 737-700 has 138 seats, therefore close to the capacity of the E195-E2.
Boeing and Airbus fleets
The investment in a new type of aircraft, which requires extra training for crew members and a different maintenance infrastructure, weighs against a possible deal.
Gol, above all, is an unknown in this aspect as the company is under Chapter 11 in the United States, negotiating billion-dollar debts, including the lessors of almost all of its Boeing 737s.
The carrier also values a uniform fleet with just the 737, which reduces operating costs. However, the recent rapprochement with Azul, which is interested in becoming a partner of its rival, could be an argument in favor of Embraer.
LATAM, on the other hand, operates Airbus and Boeing planes, but the European manufacturer is exclusive in narrow-bodies.
One of its predecessors, TAM, maintained a large network of regional flights in Brazil for many years, operating with turboprops and Fokker jets and debuted with the small Bandeirante, from Embraer.
With a large territorial area and population of almost 220 million people, Brazil has always been considered a potential air travel market, but regulations and high costs keep new companies away to this day.
It is an irony that Embraer can find customers all over the world, but has great difficulty selling its praised commercial jets in its own country of origin.
