ACIA Aero Leasing, a provider of regional aircraft leasing and lease management services, acquired its first Embraer E190, which will join ACIA’s fleet as the company evaluates new investment opportunities as part of a planned expansion into new markets.

The aircraft, configured with 12 business and 88 economy seats, will undergo a period of maintenance before being offered to prospective airline customers.

Sameer Adam, senior vice president of commercial at ACIA Aero Leasing, said the acquisition represents “a significant milestone in progressing our fleet growth strategy. It is a launching point for engaging airlines interested in the E190/E195 aircraft specifically designed to crossover regional and mainline operations. It also opens up further opportunities to evaluate other portfolio enhancements, including the prospect of adding the next-generation E-Jet E2 family aircraft.

“As a lessor with an established customer base in regional markets, we have already seen the tremendous impact of regional aircraft in facilitating the recovery of networks on all continents. We are confident that E-Jets will play a key role in the recovery, particularly in the European and North American markets. The E-Jet provides the right blend of operational versatility and efficiency to meet the demands of certain mainline routes and is a good network development tool for airlines striving to adapt to the post-pandemic environment.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered fundamental changes that are reshaping air travel patterns and demand for aircraft. Among those implications are the early retirement of older and less efficient aircraft, a preference for more profitable smaller airplanes to match weaker demand and the growing importance of domestic and regional airline networks in the restoration of air service.

“We congratulate ACIA on adding the first E-Jet to their fleet,” Martyn Holmes, CCO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, said. “This is a significant milestone, building on ACIA’s successful experience with their ERJ145 fleet, enhancing their portfolio with the in-demand, world-beating E-Jet family. ACIA’s first E190 represents just the start of their planned expansion into E-Jets to take advantage of new opportunities emerging in regional aviation.”

“The introduction of the E190 is a stepping-stone in the evolution of our portfolio, with the goal of incorporating select in-demand and diverse aircraft types that best capture the operating characteristics sought after by airlines whose requirements are continually shaped by market conditions,” Mick Mooney, CEO of ACIA Aero Leasing, said.

Since the early 2000s, ACIA has grown its fleet to more than 50 regional passenger and freighter aircraft, both owned and managed, including the ATR42/72 family, Beechcraft 1900 and Embraer 145 aircraft.

“We continue to leverage our team’s expertise and deep familiarity with the industry to provide the most responsive fleet and financing options that effectively address our existing and prospective customers’ needs,” Mooney said. “Our commercial team is committed to building long-term relationships with airlines across all markets, steadfastly growing our global customer base, which now consists of 16 operators in 20 countries worldwide.”