ANA Holdings has placed an order for eight incremental E190-E2s, which will be placed with ACMI operator Ibex Airlines (FW, Sendai) and replace that carrier's CRJ700s.

The holding said the additional E190-E2s will be used "to expand the ACMI agreement for ANA - All Nippon Airways flights." Concurrently, the carrier signed an agreement with Ibex Airlines to upgrade the existing codeshare relationship to an ACMI contract, starting in the fiscal year 2029 (April 2029-March 2030).

"ANA will act as the marketing carrier, responsible for route planning and sales. Ibex will act as the operating carrier, responsible for flight operations. This agreement aims to effectively utilise the resources of both companies to maintain the regional routes and improve operational efficiency. In addition, both parties have agreed to use the Embraer E190-E2 aircraft as the operational fleet for this agreement," the two airlines said.

The partnership comes shortly after the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport advised airlines to explore ACMI deals as a way of improving the efficiency of domestic connectivity in the country. In the face of a shrinking population, particularly in rural areas, the future of some domestic routes appears challenging.

Ibex Airlines currently operates nine CRJ700s under the ANA Connection brand, though the aircraft are flown under the carrier's code and commercial risk. The partnership only entails codesharing. The airline said that the E2s will allow it to exit the CRJ700 fleet, but it did not disclose a detailed timeline for the transition.

ANA Holdings already has an order for fifteen E190-E2s, with a further five unconfirmed options. The aircraft are due to start delivering in fiscal year 2028 and will be configured for up to 100 passengers.