Aeroméxico (AM, México City International) is planning to place an order for sixty regional jets by the end of 2019 and is evaluating E195-E2 and A220 types, CEO Andres Conesa told Bloomberg.
The carrier is looking to replace its fleet of Embraer jets operated by Aerolitoral (Monterrey Mariano Escobedo) under the AeroMéxico Connect brand. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the regional fleet currently consists of fifty-seven jets, including ten E170s and forty-seven E190s. The average age of the Embraers is 10.3 years.
Conesa underlined that the Mexican flag carrier was looking at replacing the existing Embraers with larger aircraft to cope with severe capacity constraints at its main gateway at México City International.
"The lack of infrastructure hinders our ability to have more operations. The only possibility to grow is to have a fleet up-gauge," Conesa said.
Conesa also underlined that the carrier would emphasise fleet simplicity and would look at operating a single-type regional fleet going forward.
AeroMéxico itself does not currently operate any regional jets. The carrier's fleet includes eleven B737-700s, thirty-six B737-800s, nine B787-8s, and nine B787-9s, as well as six grounded B737-8s.
Conesa added that AeroMéxico will seek compensation from Boeing for the grounding of the MAX 8s but will only finalise the terms after the ban is lifted. For now, the Mexican flag carrier hopes to resume MAX 8 flights in November 2019.
