Somon Air (SZ, Dushanbe) confirmed it has now has opened a dialogue with Embraer (EMB, São José dos Campos U.E. Stumpf International) over its proposed purchase of eight E190-E2s.

The Tajik carrier said in a statement on March 21 that financing for the proposed purchase could come through the Brazilian BNDES bank under a finance leasing scheme.

Somon Air would use the E-Jets to both expand the scope of its network while at the same time, cut costs for flights with low commercial loads.

Last month, Somon Air’s Director of Engineering and Maintenance, Bakhonur Rakhimov, told Russia's ATO.ru that their intention is to induct four EMB-190-E2s by year-end. The jets would also be used to replace Somon Air's fleet of two B737-300s, due to leave service later this year.

Somon Air currently operates an all-Boeing (BOE, Washington National) fleet of two B737-800s and two B737-900(ER)s. In terms of coverage, it serves 19 destinations in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, China, and Turkey.