Virgin Australia Regional Airlines’ first Embraer E190-E2 touches down in Perth from Canberra at the end of its 26,000 km delivery flight. Photos: Virgin Australia.
The first of eight new Embraer regional jets for Virgin Australia made a stopover in Canberra last week on its delivery flight to Perth.
Named ‘’Coral Bay’’, the aircraft completed the 26,000-kilometre ferry flight from São José dos Campos in Brazil via stops in Texas, California, Hawaii and Fiji before stopping in Canberra for a top-up for its final leg to Perth.
The E190-E2 is a substantially upgraded version of the older E-190s operated by Virgin Australia until 2018, when they were retired as part of the fleet consolidation on the Boeing 737. But the E190 offered much lower fuel burn, and was well suited to shorter and ‘’thinner’’ routes to regional centres that don’t require a 180-seat 737.
Upgrades include new-generation engines, a revised wing, and enhanced cabin features and products. The new aircraft will be fitted with 100-seat interiors, comprising 92 economy-class seats in a four-abreast configuration, and eight three-abreast business-class seats. Some of the economy-class seat rows will have ‘’Economy X’’ seats with additional legroom as a cost premium.
Virgin Australia ordered the new aircraft last year on the back of improving load factors and financial results after emerging from receivership following the pandemic.
This was followed earlier this year by the airline being relisted on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) for the first time in five years, the receipt of government approval for Qatar Airways to invest in the airline, and the resumption of international services from Sydney to Doha using Qatar Airways equipment and crews.
The aircraft will be based in Perth and employed on regional routes in Western Australia, replacing the ageing Fokker 100 aircraft operated by Network Aviation on Virgin’s behalf. Compared with the F100, the E190-E2 is much quieter, burns 30 per cent less fuel and produces 30 per cent fewer emissions.
The new aircraft are capable of flying legs up to six hours long, and are powered by new-generation Pratt & Whitney PW1900G geared turbofan engines. These are similar to the larger PW1500Gs installed on Qantas’s new and slightly larger 130-seat Airbus A220s, which are based in Canberra, and the larger-still PW1100G used by Jetstar’s Airbus A321NEO and Qantas’s new A321XLR.
The interior features 92 economy seats in a six-abreast layout, and eight five-abreast business-class seats.
While the E190-E2s’ primary role will be supporting Virgin Australia Regional Airlines’ (VARA) extensive fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) contracts across the state’s vastly dispersed mining communities, the cabin configuration will allow them the flexibility to operate regular passenger services during quieter charter periods.
VARA was formed from Virgin’s 2013 acquisition of Skywest, which had operated in the state for more than 60 years.
VARA currently operates about 250 flights a week, servicing regional centres including Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Esperance, Exmouth, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Newman, Onslow and Port Hedland from its Perth base. These are a mix of revenue passenger and mining fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) services. In addition, VARA links Kalgoorlie with Melbourne, Broome and Kununurra with Darwin, and Port Hedland with Bali.
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines group executive Nick Rohrlach said the delivery of the new aircraft was a landmark day for aviation in Western Australia.
“The E190-E2 is a game-changer,” he said.
“It is more fuel-efficient, quieter and more comfortable than anything else operating in the state’s charter market today. It will significantly improve the travel experience for our charter clients and give us greater flexibility across VARA’s operations.
“When it enters service next month, this aircraft will fly charter routes and also support commercial services primarily within Western Australia to destinations like Darwin, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome.
“As we build scale with the E2 fleet over time, we will be able to explore expanding its use across our national network.
“The E190-E2 is 30 per cent more fuel-efficient than our retiring Fokker 100s and has the lowest noise profile of any aircraft in its segment. It is also future-ready, certified for up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and capable of operating on 100 per cent SAF.”
Three more E-190E2s are scheduled to join the VARA fleet in Perth by early 2026, with the remainder by the end of 2027.
The E190-E2’s P&W PW1900G engines use 30 per cent less fuel than those of the aircraft they will replace.
