Régional
Encyclopedia
Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, or Régional for short, is a subsidiary airline
wholly owned by Air France
which connects hubs at Paris
, Lyon
, Clermont-Ferrand
, and Bordeaux
to 49 airports in Europe
. The airline operates in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on the front fuselage and engines. It became the first European operator of the Embraer 190
aircraft in November 2006. It is headquartered in Bouguenais
at the Nantes Atlantique Airport
.
, Proteus Airlines
, and Regional Airlines
merged into Régional.
Regional is upgrading and consolidating its fleet, considering allying with a turboprop
partner as it increasingly turns its focus to its jet operations. Its two remaining Saab 2000
s were phased out in 2006 and the last of its nine Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias followed in 2008, marking the exit of all of Regional’s turboprop aircraft.
Régional average fleet age is 8.3 years in March 2010.
It became the first European operator of the Embraer 190
on 23 November 2006 when the first of six on order was delivered. The 100 seat aircraft will operate domestic and intra-European services in full Air France
colours . Régional received its first Embraer 170 of 6 orders, which wears the new Régional logo, on September 2, 2008.
The Embraer 190s are part of a new order over the Air France-KLM group with another 18 further options. All Fokkers have been transferred to KLM cityhopper
. The last propeller aircraft Embraer EMB 120 left the fleet on October 10, 2008 replaced by the ERJ-135
in Bouguenais
, near Nantes
. The head office is adjacent to the airport hotels. Nantes Atlantique Airport had the head office of Regional Airlines
, the largest of the three companies that were merged into the current Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
wholly owned by Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
which connects hubs at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, and Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to 49 airports in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The airline operates in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on the front fuselage and engines. It became the first European operator of the Embraer 190
Embraer E-Jets
The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series...
aircraft in November 2006. It is headquartered in Bouguenais
Bouguenais
Bouguenais is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France near Nantes.Bouguenais is home to the Nantes Atlantique Airport.-Economy:...
at the Nantes Atlantique Airport
Nantes Atlantique Airport
Nantes Atlantique Airport is an international airport serving Nantes, France. It is located southwest of the city, in Bouguenais.The airport is operated by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Nantes...
.
History
On 30 March 2001 Flandre AirFlandre Air
Flandre Air was a French regional airline headquartered at Lille Airport and in Lesquin, France, near Lille....
, Proteus Airlines
Proteus Airlines
Proteus Airlines was a French regional airline with its head offices in Saint-Apollinaire, Côte-d'Or, France, near Dijon, and in Saint-Étienne....
, and Regional Airlines
Regional Airlines (France)
Regional Airlines was a French regional airline headquartered at Nantes Atlantique Airport and in Bouguenais, France, near Nantes.The airline was formed by the merger of Air Vendée and Airlec. On 30 March 2001 Regional Airlines, Flandre Air, and Proteus Airlines merged into Régional Compagnie...
merged into Régional.
Regional is upgrading and consolidating its fleet, considering allying with a turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
partner as it increasingly turns its focus to its jet operations. Its two remaining Saab 2000
Saab 2000
|-See also:-References:* Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0 7106 1066 1....
s were phased out in 2006 and the last of its nine Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias followed in 2008, marking the exit of all of Regional’s turboprop aircraft.
Fleet
The Régional fleet includes the following aircraft (at November 2011)| Aircraft | In service | On Order | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer 135 Embraer ERJ 145 family The Embraer ERJ 145 family is a series of regional jets produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company. Family members include the ERJ 135 , ERJ 140 , and ERJ 145 , as well as the Legacy business jet and the R-99 family of military aircraft. The ERJ 145 is the largest of the group... |
3 | 0 | 37 |
| Embraer 145 | 26 | 0 | 50 |
| Embraer 170 Embraer E-Jets The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series... |
11 | 0 | 76 |
| Embraer 190 Embraer E-Jets The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series... |
10 | 4 | 100 |
| Total | 50 | 4 |
Régional average fleet age is 8.3 years in March 2010.
It became the first European operator of the Embraer 190
Embraer E-Jets
The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series...
on 23 November 2006 when the first of six on order was delivered. The 100 seat aircraft will operate domestic and intra-European services in full Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
colours . Régional received its first Embraer 170 of 6 orders, which wears the new Régional logo, on September 2, 2008.
The Embraer 190s are part of a new order over the Air France-KLM group with another 18 further options. All Fokkers have been transferred to KLM cityhopper
KLM Cityhopper
KLM Cityhopper is the regional subsidiary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines . The airline, with its head office, the Convair Building, on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Schiphol-Oost, Haarlemmermeer, operates short haul services in and around Europe...
. The last propeller aircraft Embraer EMB 120 left the fleet on October 10, 2008 replaced by the ERJ-135
Head office
The head office of the airline is located on the grounds of Nantes Atlantique AirportNantes Atlantique Airport
Nantes Atlantique Airport is an international airport serving Nantes, France. It is located southwest of the city, in Bouguenais.The airport is operated by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Nantes...
in Bouguenais
Bouguenais
Bouguenais is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France near Nantes.Bouguenais is home to the Nantes Atlantique Airport.-Economy:...
, near Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. The head office is adjacent to the airport hotels. Nantes Atlantique Airport had the head office of Regional Airlines
Regional Airlines (France)
Regional Airlines was a French regional airline headquartered at Nantes Atlantique Airport and in Bouguenais, France, near Nantes.The airline was formed by the merger of Air Vendée and Airlec. On 30 March 2001 Regional Airlines, Flandre Air, and Proteus Airlines merged into Régional Compagnie...
, the largest of the three companies that were merged into the current Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne.