The first Embraer E-Freighter has successfully entered commercial service with air cargo operator Bridges Air Cargo.
The aircraft completed its first revenue flight on March 9, 2026, carrying unspecified sensitive express materials between Cologne (CGN), Germany, and Larnaca (LCA), Cyprus, the Brazilian manufacturer has confirmed.
The E-Freighter, also known as E190F, is the cargo conversion of the popular E190 airliner, which is in service with airlines all over the world. When modified to operate as a freighter, this aircraft can carry a payload of up to 13.1 tons (although in a typical e-commerce cargo configuration the payload would usually be around 10 to 11 tons).
It’s worth noting that, while this flight marks the commercial debut of the official E-Freighter program, Brazilian airline Azul had already converted several of its passenger E195 jets to an all-cargo configuration in collaboration with aerospace engineering firm LHColus Technologies, also from Brazil.
However, in that case, the modifications involved to operate the aircraft in an all-cargo configuration were more limited in scope.
In comparison, the Embraer-led E-Freighter program, of which Bridges Air Cargo has become the launch customer, involves a more thorough passenger-to-freight (P2F) structural modification. These changes, which have been implemented at the manufacturer’s facilities in Brazil, include the addition of a front cargo door, reinforced floors, and a rigid cargo barrier as well as fitting cargo handling, cargo smoke detection, and air management systems.
Bridges Air Cargo, which is a subsidiary of international logistics group Bridges Worldwide, has leased the aircraft from lessor Regional One. The cargo operator announced an order for two E190F aircraft in June 2025, during the Paris Air Show.
Embraer is positioning its E-Freighters as a midway solution between cargo turboprops and the cargo versions of larger Boeing and Airbus jets. According to the Brazilian manufacturer, the E-Freighter provides at least 40% more volume capacity and three times the range of the turboprops while offering a 30% costs advantage compared to the larger narrowbody jets.
