Embraer has signed a new Component Pool Program agreement with Portugália Airlines, the TAP Group regional carrier that operates under the TAP Express brand, bringing the airline back to the Brazilian manufacturer for support of its 19-strong E-Jet fleet.
The agreement, announced in Lisbon on 15 October 2026, covers twelve Embraer E190s and seven E195s flying on TAP Express regional routes. Embraer said the programme will help optimise aircraft availability as the airline expands its operations.
More than 300 components covered
Under the pool programme, Embraer will provide comprehensive component support across multiple aircraft systems. The package covers more than 300 E-Jet components and includes advanced exchange services as well as repair and overhaul solutions.
Component pool agreements allow an airline to draw replacement parts from a shared inventory managed by the manufacturer, rather than holding a large stock of expensive spares itself. When a part is removed for maintenance, a serviceable unit can be swapped in quickly, which reduces the time an aircraft spends on the ground and helps keep the schedule running.
A return after a brief switch
The deal marks a return for Portugália. Managing Director Mário Lobato de Faria said the carrier was coming back to Embraer "following a brief experience with an alternative supplier".
"After some decades being served by Embraer through its Component Pool Program that we helped to set up during the launch of the Embraer ERJ145, it felt right to return to this Program that always served our needs and helped us grow," he said. "More than the Program itself is the Embraer team behind it with whom we relate in a fantastic way."
He added: "A big thank to Embraer for the flexibility and true partnership during this transition process accommodating all our requirements."
Carlos Naufel, President and CEO of Embraer Services & Support, said the manufacturer was proud to strengthen its long-standing partnership with Portugália. "Their continued confidence in our solutions is a testament to the value it delivers to operators worldwide," he said. "We look forward to support Portugália Airlines and its E-Jets fleet as it connects communities across its network."
An early Embraer jet customer
Portugália has deep roots with Embraer. The Lisbon-based airline was one of the first carriers to begin integrating the ERJ145 regional jet into its fleet in the late 1990s, and it helped set up the component pool that supported that aircraft at launch. Today its fleet is made up of larger E190 and E195 jets in TAP Express colours.
The carrier now operates around 25% of TAP Group flights, according to AeroTime, serving destinations mainly in Europe, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the UK and Ireland, as well as Morocco in North Africa. Portugália works as an ACMI operator exclusively for TAP Air Portugal, meaning it provides aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance for flights sold under the TAP brand.
Timing within a changing TAP Group
The agreement comes at a significant moment for the wider TAP Group. Portugal has selected Lufthansa as the buyer for a stake in TAP Air Portugal, ahead of a rival bid from Air France-KLM, with further privatisation possible by 2028. For TAP's regional arm, reliable aircraft availability is central to feeding the group's Lisbon and Porto networks, whatever its future ownership structure.
For Embraer, winning back an operator that switched to another supplier is a useful endorsement for its services business, which supports E-Jet operators worldwide. It also comes in a strong period for the manufacturer, which recently reported record third-quarter deliveries of 66 aircraft.
Neither company disclosed the financial terms or the length of the new agreement.
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