Africa World Airlines (AWA) has received its first Embraer E190, more than doubling the number of seats available on a single aircraft compared with the ERJ-145s that have formed the core of the Ghanaian carrier’s operation.
The aircraft, registered 9G-FDA, arrived at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on September 19 after a ferry flight from China. It has 102 seats and is the first of several larger Embraer jets planned by the airline.
The E190 left Haikou on September 16 and flew to Accra through Urumqi, Astana, Yerevan and Tunis.
Africa World Airlines already has a long relationship with Embraer aircraft. The carrier began operations in 2012 and has relied primarily on 50-seat ERJ-145 regional jets for its domestic and West African network.
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The E190 gives the airline substantially more capacity without moving to a larger narrowbody such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737.
Up to ten E190s planned
AWA had already disclosed its E190 plans before the first aircraft arrived. Chief Operating Officer Sohail Mahmood said at AviaDev Africa earlier this year that the airline planned to introduce two E190s in 2026.
The carrier could subsequently add another eight aircraft, potentially taking its E190 operation to ten jets within 18 to 24 months. The pace of the expansion will depend on the performance of the first aircraft and development of the airline’s regional network.
At the presentation in Accra, AWA founder and chairman Togbe Afede XIV described the new E190 as the first of several aircraft the company intends to acquire over the next year.
The larger aircraft is expected to support expansion beyond Ghana. AWA has discussed restoring service to Abidjan and adding destinations including Freetown, Monrovia, Conakry, Banjul and Dakar.
15-year-old aircraft previously flew in China
AWA’s first E190 is not a new aircraft. The jet, manufacturer serial number 19000426, was built in 2011 and originally delivered to China’s Tianjin Airlines as B-3179.
It later operated for GX Airlines before being withdrawn from service in January 2026. The aircraft remained in China before its transfer to Africa World Airlines and was already painted in the Ghanaian carrier’s colors at Haikou before delivery.
The aircraft is powered by two General Electric CF34 engines, the standard powerplant used by first-generation E190s.
Used E-Jets have found market in Africa
Second-hand first-generation Embraer E-Jets have become a practical source of aircraft for several African airlines, providing capacity between smaller regional jets and larger Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies without requiring the acquisition of new aircraft.
South Africa’s Airlink is the continent’s largest example. Its operation includes 28 E190s, six E195s, four E175s and two E170s, alongside smaller ERJ regional jets. Many of its E-Jets were acquired from previous operators.
Kenya Airways also operates 15 E190s, while the type has been used by other carriers on the continent, including LAM Mozambique Airlines.
New-generation E-Jets are also present in Africa, although in smaller numbers. Nigeria’s Air Peace operates E195-E2s, while Airlink has begun introducing the same model.
