Airlink welcomes its first Embraer E195-E2 after long ferry flight from Brazil
September 23, 2025
Airlink is today celebrating the arrival of its first Embraer E195-E2, the very first of the type to operate in South Africa. The aircraft landed in Johannesburg on Monday after a long-haul ferry flight from Brazil, underscoring both the jet’s capabilities and Airlink’s ambitions.
From Embraer’s home in São José dos Campos (SJK), the aircraft, with tail number ZS-ARF, flew directly to Cape Town (CPT). Flightradar24 logs the flight time at just under eight hours for the 3,400 nmi trip, significantly beyond the published 3,000 nm range of the largest E2.
Long delivery flights such as this are made possible because the aircraft is flying with minimal weight on board, using tailored fuel reserves and optimal cruise profiles.
On Tuesday morning, South Africa’s first E2 departed CPT at 11:29, completing the short hop to Johannesburg in an hour and 40 minutes, landing at 13:09.
It was a fitting debut: showcasing the aircraft’s intercontinental range on the delivery leg before slotting seamlessly into the carrier’s domestic network. Airlink has a total of 10 E195-E2s on order.
The Embraer E2: More than a new plane for Airlink
The airline’s excitement for the delivery was palpable, as it shared updates on the Embraer’s arrival.
For Airlink, this isn’t just a shiny new addition to the fleet. The E2 is a signal of intent. As South Africa’s largest privately owned airline, Airlink has carved out a reputation for connecting secondary cities and underserved markets.
From the Mother City to the City of Gold ✈️🌍 #Airlink’s trailblazing @embraer E195-E2 is on its way to Johannesburg 👏 Will you witness its arrival? 👀#FlyAirlink #FlyTheLink #Skybucks #AccelerateOpportunity #E2ProfitHunter pic.twitter.com/MhhMOU6ub9
— Airlink (@Fly_Airlink) September 23, 2025
The E195-E2 will fit neatly into Airlink’s existing operations. Airlink already flies a fleet of Embraer E-Jets (E135, E145, E170, E190, and E195), so the integration of the new platform will be smooth.
However, the aircraft will be the largest Airlink has ever flown (apart from a single Boeing 737 leased from Star Air for a couple of years at the start of the decade). While the E195-E1 has a maximum capacity of 124 passengers, the E2 adds three more rows for 12 more passengers, and can fly up to 146 passengers in total.
Demand for air travel to, from and within Africa is growing rapidly. According to IATA, African airlines’ annual traffic rose 13.2% in 2024 versus the prior year. As its new E2s begin to arrive, Airlink will be looking to capitalise on this emerging market with its award-winning product and its new efficient aircraft.
Embraer E195-E2: The ideal regional jet for Africa
Embraer argues that Africa is one of the last great frontiers for air connectivity, with market fundamentals that favour smaller, efficient jets. In its Connecting Africa market outlook, the manufacturer notes that 64% of intra-African markets are served with seven flights a week or fewer, leaving many travellers reliant on connections through Europe or the Middle East.
Looking ahead, Embraer forecasts revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) in Africa will grow by 4.4% annually over the next 20 years, faster than in mature markets such as Europe and North America. Yet the continent still has one of the world’s lowest propensities to fly — far fewer trips per capita compared with Asia, Latin America or the Middle East. Embraer frames this gap as untapped demand that could be unlocked with the right aircraft and network strategies.
The E195-E2, the largest of Embraer’s next-generation regional jets, is a way to bridge that gap. With a range of around six hours and capacity for up to 146 passengers in a typical layout, it can connect secondary cities that cannot yet support larger narrowbodies. Compared to bigger aircraft, the E2 offers lower trip costs, reduced fuel burn, and longer maintenance intervals, which can de-risk route launches in uncertain or developing markets.
Whether other African airlines follow Airlink’s lead remains to be seen, but Embraer has positioned the E2 as a “right-sized” solution for a continent where demand is growing but often unevenly distributed.
Air Peace was the first airline in Africa to take delivery of the E2. However, issues with its Pratt & Whitney GTF engines meant the fleet was grounded for 18 months. With the aircraft gradually returning to service since July, the airline boldly converted options for three of its E175s into more E195-E2 orders.
For Airlink customers, there’s likely going to be a bit of a wait before the aircraft enters service. Original estimates were delivery in Q4 of 2025; whether the early arrival of the aircraft means a sooner-than-expected appearance in operations remains to be seen.
