South African regional airline Airlink has announced that it is expanding its fleet by leasing three Embraer E195 aircraft from AerCap. Airlink is Southern Africa’s biggest regional carrier, and the E195 is the largest type it currently operates.

The first of these three additional aircraft (all three were previously used by other operators) was delivered to the airline in March. The other two will be handed over this month. These, like Airlink’s other Embraer E-Jet-family airliners, are baseline models (designated E1 by AerCap, although not by Embraer itself). Airlink has so far configured its E195s to carry 107 passengers, in two classes.

“Airlink is on a steady growth path, expanding its network, schedule and market share,” highlighted airline CEO and MD Rodger Foster. “With AerCap’s support on these leases, we will be able to maintain this upward trajectory. The efficiencies derived from continuity across our fleet will help us contain costs and continue providing great value and affordable air travel to our customers.”

“We are very pleased to welcome Airlink as a new customer to AerCap with the lease of three E195 aircraft,” affirmed AerCap chief commercial officer Peter Anderson. “We wish all the team at Airlink every success and look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

Airlink’s current jet fleet is composed of more than 60 Embraer types, from both that company’s ERJ and E-Jet families. The ERJs are regional airliners, and, of these, the airline currently operates the 44-passenger ERJ-140 and the 37-seat ERJ-135 LR, both types being configured with single-class cabins. The E-Jets are smaller single-aisle airliners and, in addition to the E195, Airlink operates the E170, in a 74-seat, two-class, cabin configuration, and the E190, with 98 seats, also in two classes.

The airline currently serves 45 destinations across Southern and East Africa, as well as the island country of Madagascar and the island territory of St Helena. It has been the most reliable South African airline for both last year and the year before and so far this year has recorded an average on-time performance of 95.87%.