By Phil Davies | March 27, 2025, 06: 01 The largest aircraft to provide London City Airport has been operated by Helvetic Airways for Swiss International Air Lines, thereby allowing for longer-range airlines. The Embraer E195-E2 of the European local airline was the first plane of this type to land at the Docklands air-port as part of a regular scheduled flight. The E195-E2 has 134 seats and is the largest airplane currently flying from London City. It also claims to have the lowest gasoline consumption per seat among all aircraft working at the airport. Helvetic Airways operated the journey from Zurich on a wet-lease schedule for European International Air Lines. In the fall of 2021, Helitic Airways became the first flight in the world to fly a smaller Embraer E190-E2. London City, where 75 % of flights are made on Embraer aircraft, is a special area for us, according to senior vice president and local head Marie-Louise Philippe of Embraer Commercial Aviation. The E195-E2 is the largest, most effective, and most sustainable aviation certified for London City, according to Embraer, who has created the world’s second involuntary takeoff system, the E2TS – Embraer Enhanced Takeoff System. It is a great way to celebrate another milestone in the E2 story with our partners from Helvetic Airways and London City. The E195-E2 will increase the range of the aircraft, especially from LCY, from 3200 miles to 4000 miles, bringing new destinations like Istanbul, Gran Canaria, Casablanca, Athens, and Cairo for the first time, according to airport chief executive Alison FitzGerald.” When certified, E2TS may increase the range of the E195-E2 aircraft from 3200 km to 4000 km. London City Airport places a lot of demands on both the aircraft and the specially trained cockpit crews, according to airline CEO Tobias Pogorevc. The larger E195-E2 was first introduced with the Embraer E190-E2 in 2021, and Helietic Airways has both, and we are proud to be the first airline to do so.
