Gulf Air Takes Pair of E170s

Embraer delivered two E170 regional jets to Bahrain’s Gulf Air during a ceremony at the manufacturer’s headquarters in São Jose dos Campos, Brazil, last month. The OEM handed over the aircraft in a two-class, 67-seat cabin configuration, as prescribed in a three-year lease agreement it signed with Gulf Air just after January’s Bahrain International Airshow. The deal includes a provision to extend the leases by another five years.

Separately, the UK’s Flybe last month announced it has signed a deal to serve as the so-called start-up provider for Gulf Air’s E170s. The initial three-month contract cements the Exeter-based airline group’s partnership with Gulf Air for flight deck and line maintenance support, along with training, acceptance and delivery services for the new airplanes.