Bridges Air Cargo’s second E190F enters service

Bridges Air Cargo has expanded its narrowbody freighter operations after placing a second Embraer E190F into service The E190F is part of Embraer’s broader E-Jet freighter conversion programme, launched in 2022 as the Brazilian manufacturer seeks to extend the commercial life of its regional jet family. Bridges has indicated that further expansion is planned as additional aircraft become available. Bridges Air Cargo has expanded its narrowbody freighter operations after placing a second Embraer E190F into service, strengthening its growing network linking Europe and North Africa. The aircraft, registered 9H-CLW, entered commercial operation in mid-June following positioning flights from Bratislava to Cologne Bonn and a subsequent handover into service. Within days, it had completed a series of short-haul rotations including Cologne to Malta, Malta to Tripoli, and onward services between Malta and Rome. The addition marks a further step in the Maltese carrier’s rapid adoption of the converted E-Jet freighter type, which is designed to serve express logistics and time-sensitive cargo flows on thinner European and Mediterranean routes. Bridges Air Cargo first emerged as the launch operator for the E190F programme in 2023 under a Maltese Air Operator Certificate, with its initial aircraft entering service last year. The airline now operates two of the type and is continuing to scale operations as additional conversions become available. The company has positioned itself as a specialist provider for express and courier traffic, with customers including major global integrators such as FedEx, DHL and UPS. Its network is built around short sectors connecting European logistics hubs with North African destinations, using Malta as a central interchange point. The latest aircraft’s entry into service highlights how quickly the E190F is being absorbed into regional cargo networks. Since beginning operations, Bridges’ second unit has already accumulated multiple rotations across the central Mediterranean, underscoring the aircraft’s role in high-frequency, short-haul utilisation rather than long-range freight missions. The E190F is part of Embraer’s broader E-Jet freighter conversion programme, launched in 2022 as the Brazilian manufacturer seeks to extend the commercial life of its regional jet family. The aircraft are converted from passenger configurations into dedicated freighters, with reinforced floors, a large cargo door and a reconfigured interior for containerised and bulk freight. Embraer says the aircraft offers significantly improved economics for express cargo operators, with greater volume capacity than similarly sized turboprop freighters, alongside lower operating costs compared with larger narrowbody aircraft used on similar sectors. In practical terms, the E190F is aimed at operators seeking to match capacity more closely with demand on regional express routes, where traditional freighters can be oversized and inefficient. The aircraft’s combination of a lower-deck cargo hold and main-deck freight capability allows for flexible loading configurations depending on payload mix. The maximum structural payload is 13,500 kg, placing it firmly in the small narrowbody freighter category, but with an emphasis on network flexibility rather than maximum lift. A larger variant, the E195F, is expected to offer a payload of up to 14,300 kg once fully introduced into service.