NAS Air of Saudi Arabia selects Embraer E-Jets

The contract also includes purchase rights for 12 more aircraft of the same model. The total value of the deal, at list price, is $172.5m, based on January 2007 economic conditions, and could reach $759m if all options and purchase rights are confirmed.

NAS Air has also signed a separate agreement with GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) to operate another five E-Jets - three Embraer 190s and two Embraer 195s - under a leasing contract.

"The NAS Air business model uniquely combines a low fare airline operation with a high standard of ground and in-flight passenger services," said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market. "We are very proud to supply NAS Air with the ideal aircraft for such a critical combination. I'm sure they will find the E-Jets' flexibility, low operating costs and outstanding passenger comfort a truly winning blend."

Both aircraft will be configured in a comfortable single-class layout -- the Embraer 190 with 114 seats, and the Embraer 195 with 118. The E-Jets will be based at King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh.

"We have a very aggressive development plan and we need the right aircraft to achieve it," said Ed Winter, CEO of NAS Air Aviation.

"The Embraer E-Jets family has a proven operational background in the Middle East. This, combined with the versatility of these aircraft, which are in operation with other budget and mainline airlines, as well as regional carriers, convinced us that the Embraer 190 and the EMBRAER 195 are the perfect aircraft for our operations."

NAS Air will receive its first E-Jet in February 2008 through the GECAS leasing contract. The company intends to deploy the aircraft in its growing domestic and regional markets. Created in February 2007 as Saudi Arabia's first budget airline, NAS Air has quickly expanded to become the second largest airline in the country. The company now serves 21 cities in the country with a fleet of seven aircraft. The Embraer E-Jets will be used to increase the number of weekly flights from 70 to 358.