China Southern Airlines is awaiting regulatory approval to buy at least 20 ERJ145 jets from Brazil¡¯s Embraer.
China¡¯s largest carrier signed a preliminary agreement with Embraer last November to add 20 ERJ145 regional jets to its fleet, plus an option to acquire another 10, said a Beijing-based aviation source.
The deal is subject to approval from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) and the powerful State Development Planning Commission (SDPC), which has to endorse all Chinese aircraft purchases, the source said.
A China Southern official confirmed the Guangdong-based carrier had planned to add ERJ145 regional jets to its fleet since last year, but he declined to give specifics. The market value for an ERJ145 is about $19-20 million.