Virgin Nigeria on Tuesday, October 7 unveiled a brand new Embraer 190 jet at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

The aircraft, first of its kind to operate domestic routes is expected to refresh air transportation in Nigeria. It is also the first E-Jet delivered to Virgin Nigeria.

In his speech after unveiling the plane, Senate President David Mark, said the action was commendable.

While expressing his satisfaction, he urged other airline operators to emulate Virgin Nigeria by engaging brand new aircraft in their operations.

In his speech, the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Felix Hassan Hyet said the introduction of the new aircraft was a clear demonstration of a renewed commitment by Virgin Nigeria to the aviation industry.

He said the coming of Embraer 190 was a dream come true and a response to the yearning and aspirations of the air passengers in the country.

Explaining the rationale behind the new aircraft, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Virgin Nigeria, Mr. Conrad Clifford, said the move was in a bid to maximize the comfort of their passengers.

He said the plane was part of 24 to be introduced into Nigeria in phases hoping that the innovation would revolutionise the aviation industry in the country.

He said it would also assist the airline's growing domestic and regional network, by providing the right capacity for current routes.

He said apart from providing state-of-the-art In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system, with individual TV screens in front of every seat, the plane was specially designed with a dual-class configuration.