Luxair has embarked on a complete fleet renewal with the purchase of six Embraer aircraft and ten Boeing planes. The first of the 16 new aircraft arrived at Findel at the end of November and made its first commercial flight to Vienna last Saturday. Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes was also on board.
It took two years from the order for Luxair’s new Embraer E2 to enter passenger service. The aircraft left the production hall in Brazil at the end of November before making its way to Luxembourg. With this being an unusual journey for a regional airline to take, a distance of around 9,000 kilometres, the trip required an overnight stop in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. The aircraft then continued early the next morning to arrive at Findel in time for a reception attended by around 100 guests in the hangar at 2pm.
The arrival marked a special moment for the entire team involved. Eighteen people who had worked intensively on the project travelled on the flight to bring the plane home. For pilots Christophe Toussing and Frédéric Willieme, it was the culmination of months of preparation.
Each new aircraft type is different and requires specific training. In February 2025, four Luxair pilots, including Toussing and Willieme, began training in Zurich. Through a partnership with Swiss airline Helvetic Airways, they flew the Embraer E2 throughout the whole summer, allowing them to build routines and understand the ins and outs of the aircraft.
Fleet renewal is a lengthy process for an airline. Aircraft selection involves months of testing and analysis before a decision is made on the manufacturer. For a regional airline like Luxair, the Embraer E2 emerged as the winner, notably due to improvements in passenger comfort, including the maximum possible seat spacing.
Such a major renewal also requires sufficient flight crews. Luxair therefore began recruiting and training new pilots as early as 2023, a strategy that now appears to be paying off.
