Xejet (4U, Lagos) is wet-leasing an E190 from Windrose Airlines (7W, Kyiv Boryspil) for the introduction of a premium economy product between Lagos and Abuja, CEO Emmanuel Iza has confirmed to ch-aviation.
He said the ACMI contract with the Ukrainian carrier will run for three months initially. ADS-B data shows that UR-EMA (msn 19000494) was ferried from Podgorica (Montenegro) to Abuja on October 31 to November 1. The 12.93-year-old E-Jet was previously flying with Air Montenegro (4O, Podgorica), according to ADS-B data.
It joins Xejet's fleet of two 24-seater all-business class CRJ200s being used on the same route.
Iza said the new premium economy product, dubbed Xejet Express, is "a strategic move to cater to a broader range of travellers while maintaining our commitment to comfort and exclusivity".
Xejet added scheduled operations to its AOC earlier this year, having certified for non-scheduled charter operations in 2022.
The rest of its fleet comprises three E145s, with another of the type due, according to ch-aviation fleets data. One of these, 5N-BZZ (msn 14500855), will be seconded to Xejet subsidiary Air Sierra Leone (ASL). The aircraft is currently in Johannesburg O.R. Tambo to be painted in ASL colours after it underwent maintenance in Mbombela. ASL is due to launch services between Freetown and London Gatwick with a B737-8 chartered from Ascend Airways in early December ahead of its certification with the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority.
