| Exhibit 10.3 |
|--------------|

**AMENDMENT No. 31 TO PURCHASE AGREEMENT No. GPJ-003/96**

This Amendment No. 31 (“Amendment 31”) dated as of March 16, 2004 is between EMBRAER - Empresa Brasileira deAeronáutica S.A. (“EMBRAER”) and ExpressJet Airlines, Inc., formerly known as NewExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (as assignee from ExpressJet Airlines, Inc.formerly known as Continental Express, Inc.) (“BUYER”), collectively hereinafter referred to as the“PARTIES”, and relates to Purchase Agreement No. GPJ-003/96, as amended from time to time together with its Attachments(collectively referred to as the “Base Agreement”) and Letter Agreements GPJ-004/96 dated August 5, 1996 andPCJ-004A/96 dated August 31, 1996 between EMBRAER and BUYER as amended from time to time (together with the Base Agreement,collectively referred to herein as the “Purchase Agreement” or the "Agreement") for the purchase of up to two hundredand forty five (245) new EMB-145 aircraft (the “AIRCRAFT”).

All terms defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the same meaning when used herein, and in case of any conflict betweenthis Amendment 31 and the Purchase Agreement, this Amendment shall control.

WHEREAS, BUYER and EMBRAER wish to amend the Purchase Agreement to (a) include technical features **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIALOMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]"** and(b) reschedule the delivery months for Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT, all as more fully set forth below;

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged by the PARTIES,EMBRAER and BUYER hereby agree to amend the Purchase Agreement as follows:

1.         **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIESAND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]".**

Each EMB 145 XR AIRCRAFT from XR061 and all subsequent EMB 145 XR AIRCRAFT shall**"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FORCONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]".**

2.         **Amendment to****Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT Delivery Schedule**

### 

### The text of paragraph a.8 of Article 5 of the Purchase Agreement is hereby deleted and replaced with the following:

### 

**a.8.      RECONFIRMATION AIRCRAFT Deliveries**

BUYER has the option to purchase up to one hundred (100) additional XR AIRCRAFT (the "Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT") in accordancewith the terms of this Agreement.  **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGECOMMISSION**

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**  PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]". ** The Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT shall be delivered inaccordance with the following schedule, provided that all terms and conditions of this Article 5a.8 have been satisfied:

| Reconfirmation Group |        | XR Aircraft |   |                                                                                                                                                         | Delivery Month |   |   | Reconfirmation Group |   | XR Aircraft                                                                                                                                             |   |  | Delivery Month |
|----------------------|--------|-------------|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------|--------|----------------------|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--|----------------|
|                      |   | 1           |        | **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO AREQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]".** |                |        |        | 26                   |        | **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO AREQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]".** |
|                      |        | 2           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 27     |                      |
|                      |        | 3           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 28     |                      |
|                      |        | 4           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 29     |                      |
|                      |        | 5           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 30     |                      |
|                      |        | 6           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 31     |                      |
|                      |        | 7           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 32     |                      |
|                      |        | 8           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 33     |                      |
|                      |        | 9           |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 34     |                      |
|                      |        | 10          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 35     |                      |
|                      |        | 11          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 36     |                      |
|                      |        | 12          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 37     |                      |
| Group 1              |        | 13          |        |                                                                                                                                                         | Group 2        |        | 38     |                      |
|                      |        | 14          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 39     |                      |
|                      |        | 15          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 40     |                      |
|                      |        | 16          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 41     |                      |
|                      |        | 17          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 42     |                      |
|                      |        | 18          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 43     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 19          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 44     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 20          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 45     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 21          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 46     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 22          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 47     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 23          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 48     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 24          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 49     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 25          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 50     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 51          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 76     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 52          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 77     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 53          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 78     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 54          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 79     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 55          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 80     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 56          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 81     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 57          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 82     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 58          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 83     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 59          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 84     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 60          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 85     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 61          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 86     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 62          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 87     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
| Group 3              |        | 63          |        |                                                                                                                                                         | Group 4        |        | 88     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 64          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 89     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 65          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 90     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 66          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 91     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 67          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 92     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 68          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 93     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 69          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 94     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 70          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 95     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 71          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 96     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 72          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 97     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 73          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 98     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 74          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 99     |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |
|                      |        | 75          |        |                                                                                                                                                         |                |        | 100    |                      |        |                                                                                                                                                         |

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If BUYER exercises its option to purchase the Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT as described above, a non-refundable deposit of**"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FORCONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]"** is due and payable for each Reconfirmation Aircraft **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILEDSEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]". ** This depositshall be considered part of the payment towards the Basic Price of the relevant Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT. EMBRAER will give theBUYER notice of the Contractual Delivery Date of each Reconfirmation Aircraft for which the Buyer has exercised its option inaccordance with the terms of this Article at least **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES ANDEXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]"** prior to the first business day of the relevant abovereferred to delivery month. Upon BUYER’s exercise of its option with respect to the Reconfirmation AIRCRAFT, eachReconfirmation AIRCRAFT so reconfirmed shall be considered an XR AIRCRAFT for all purposes under the Agreement."

3.         **AIRCRAFT BASIC PRICE**

As a result of the change in the AIRCRAFT configuration and in the AIRCRAFT BASIC PRICE specified in this Amendment 31, theAIRCRAFT BASIC PRICE will be:
| **AIRCRAFT**                                                                                                                                            | **BASIC PRICE (JAN/1996 US Dollars)** |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| ** **                                                                                                                                              |
| **"[CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO AREQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT]".** |

### All other terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement, which are not specifically amended by this Amendment 31, shall remainin full force and effect without any change.

### 

### [Intentionally left blank]

### 

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### 

### 

### IN WITNESS WHEREOF, EMBRAER and BUYER, by their duly authorized officers, have entered into and executed this Amendment No. 31to the Purchase Agreement to be effective as of the date first written above.

### 

| **EMBRAER - Empresa Brasileira****de Aeronáutica S.A.**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |        | **EXPRESSJET AIRLINES, INC.**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| By:           /s/ SatoshiYokota**                                   **                        |        | By:            /s/ Frederick S.Cromer**                          ** |
| Name:     Satoshi Yokota                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |        | Name:       Frederick S. Cromer                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Title:        Executive VP, Development and Industry                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |        | Title:          VP and Chief Financial Officer                                                                                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| By:           /s/ FlavioRimoli**                                       ** |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Name:     Flavio Rimoli                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Title:        Sr. VP, Airline Market                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Date:       March 19, 2004                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |        | Date:         March 30, 2004                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Place:      Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |        | Place:       Houston, TX, USA                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Witness:  /s/ Erika L.Natali                                                                                                |        | Witness:   /s/ Kristy A.Nicholas                                                        |
| Name:     Erika Lulai Natali                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |        | Name:       Kristy A. Nicholas                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |

### 

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