TUI Fly Belgium puts first Embraer E195-E2 officially into service during name giving event at Antwerp Airport

On Monday 19 June 2023, TUI Fly Belgium put its first Embraer E195-E2 officially into service during a name giving event at Antwerp Airport.

It was the Mayor of Antwerp, Mr Bart De Wever, who chaired the name giving ceremony at Antwerp Airport. He was joined by the CEO of TUI Western Region, Mr Elie Bruyninckx, TUI Fly Western Region Managing Director, Mr Gunther Hofman, and the CEO of Antwerp Airport, Mr Eric Dumas.

Mr Gunther Hofman welcomed all guests and immediately emphasised the great efforts made towards more sustainable airline operations. He said: “Since launching in 2004, we have always focussed on introducing the most modern and innovative airplanes. With the Embraer E195-E2 we have once again reached a new milestone. We are also the only Belgian airline flying Embraer jets and therefore can draw on exceptional expertise regarding the operation and maintenance of these airplanes.”

Mr. Elie Bruyninckx said: “TUI Airline operates a global network with a fleet of some 130 airplanes. In order to operate from Antwerp, we have always had to look for special airplane types because the short runway is not suitable for larger jets. We believe in a positive future for Antwerp airport and are therefore committed to these three E195-E2 jets. Taking advantage of an increased range of more than 4,000 kilometres, we are able to add very popular destinations to our Antwerp network such as the Canary Islands, the Turkish Riviera and the Greek islands. And in the future we may also be able to add a few more to our schedule to take our guests faster to their favourite holiday destinations from Antwerp.”

It was the Mayor of Antwerp, Mr Bart De Wever, who had the honour of unveiling the name of Embraer E195-E2 OO-ETB ‘Flanders’. He said: “The charisma of our city manifests itself in many areas and I support this airport which, due to its easy accessibility and small scale, is very valuable to many Antwerp citizens. I particularly like the fact that TUI is investing more in sustainable aircraft at our airport and is even putting Flanders on the map abroad with it”.

Baptising of Tui Fly Belgium Embraer E195-E2 OO-ETB ‘Flanders’.

Eric Dumas, CEO of Antwerp Airport, confirmed that the recent airport centenary is an important milestone and contributes to the city’s dynamic image: “With the new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft, which are quieter and more fuel-efficient, TUI is helping the airport to further develop into a modern and sustainable mobility centre. The new aircraft also ensure that Antwerp Airport continues to be connected to more distant destinations, thus also responding to the demands of travellers from the Antwerp region.”

The Mayor of Antwerp, Mr Bart De Wever, poses together with TUI Fly Belgium officials and crew members.

Embraer E195-E2 OO-ETB ‘Flanders’ is the first of three Embraer E195-E2 aircraft that TUI Fly Belgium is adding to its fleet. The two other Embraer E195-E2 aircraft will be named ‘Brussels’ and ‘Antwerp’ and are expected to be put into service later this year. These three aircraft  – which used to operate briefly for Belavia – will replace four Embraer E190 aircraft that the airline has been operating since October 2016. Compared to the E190, the new generation Embraer E195-E2 will allow TUI Fly Belgium to carry 24 additional passengers to their favourite holiday destination – the E195-E2 can carry 136 passengers while the E190 can carry 112 passengers. The Embraer E195-E2 also has an increased range, allowing TUI Fly Belgium to open new routes from Antwerp Airport to further destinations such as Antalya and Tenerife.

Maybe the most important feature of the Embraer E195-E2 is that it is more environmentally friendly: the aircraft is more fuel efficient, quieter and has 33% lower CO2 emissions compared to the Embraer E190.

Shortly after the official ceremony, passengers were already boarding the aircraft and few moments later ‘Flanders’ took off from Antwerp Airport and set course for Malaga, Spain as flight TB1001 AN-AGP.

19 June 2023