Embraer and Portugália Airlines have signed a Component Pool Program agreement covering the regional carrier’s 19 E-Jets, the Brazilian planemaker said.

Under the agreement, Embraer will provide component support for Portugália’s 12 E190 and seven E195 aircraft, which operate regional routes. Embraer said the programme covers more than 300 components across multiple aircraft systems and includes advanced exchange services and repair and overhaul solutions. It said the support aims to keep the aircraft available as the airline expands its operations.

Portugália, part of the TAP Group, operates under the TAP Express brand. Embraer said the airline had been served by its Component Pool Program for some decades, a programme that Portugália helped set up when the Embraer ERJ145 was launched. It then had a brief experience with another supplier before returning to Embraer.

Portugália Managing Director Mário Lobato de Faria said “it felt right to return to this Program.” He thanked Embraer for its flexibility and what he called a true partnership during the transition, which he said accommodated all the airline’s requirements.

Carlos Naufel, president and CEO of Embraer Services & Support, said the company was “proud to further strengthen our long-standing partnership” with the airline. He said the airline’s continued confidence reflects the value the programme delivers to operators worldwide.

Embraer said its Pool Program offers component support to airlines worldwide and delivers savings in component repair and inventory holding costs, reduces warehousing needs, and operates under guaranteed performance levels. These claims come from the company and were not independently verified.

Portugália is a Lisbon-based regional airline that has been part of TAP Group since 2007 and flies exclusively for TAP Air Portugal as an ACMI operator, according to the release. It operates around 25 percent of TAP Group flights, serving destinations mainly in Europe and Morocco.

The release did not disclose the value or duration of the agreement or the name of the alternative supplier the airline used.

Source: PR