The largest island on the African continent, Madagascar will soon be able to transport passengers using Embraer E2 aircraft. The country’s state-owned airline, Madagascar Airlines, expects to receive the first E190-E2 in its fleet by the end of June.
The jet’s arrival on that date was recently announced by representatives of the Malagasy Ministry of Transport.
In December 2022, the African carrier entered into an agreement to lease three E190-E2 jets from lessor Azorra, with deliveries starting this year and ending in 2024. The aircraft are expected to serve domestic routes and nearby archipelagos such as Mauritius.
The decision to have the E2s in the state-owned company’s fleet was anticipated by the president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, in October 2022. At the time, the president stated that the country had entered into a partnership to acquire Embraer aircraft and was also negotiating the coming from a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
On a tour of African countries last year, Embraer took the E190-E2 for a presentation in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, in March. Another E2 customer on the African continent is Air Peace, from Nigeria, with an order for eight E195-E2 jets.
Boeing 747-200
Founded more than 60 years ago, Air Madagascar currently operates with a very limited capacity: the company has only three ATR 72 turboprops in service.
The Malagasy company has always flown with small fleets, but with aircraft tailored to its needs. A few years ago, Air Madagascar operated long-haul routes with large widebodies such as the Airbus A340 and Boeing 767 and 777 and short-haul flights with 737 jets. The flag carrier of Madagascar even had a Boeing 747-200 in 1980 and 1998.
Last year, the company withdrew its only 737-800 from the fleet and since then it has only been working with two ATR 72-500s delivered in 2005 and one 72-600 in 2015.
Former colony of France and known for its paradisiacal landscape, Madagascar is a destination that attracts many tourists from Europe.
The main airlines that make this air connection from Europe to the large African island are Air Austral and Air France, with flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
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Highlighting the attraction of French companies to Madagascar, the local news Madagascar Tribune reported last week that Corsair International had returned to the island this year, with departures from Orly.
The outlet points to Corsair’s return to the country as good news and criticizes other French companies and the state airline. “Corsair has already been considered an alternative for travelers who want to escape the high cost of Air France and Air Austral or the poor service with exorbitant cost of Air Madagascar”.
Perhaps Embraer jets will help improve Air Madagascar’s image.
