Sukhoi Lands Second Western Customer for SSJ100

Irish regional airline CityJet announced Tuesday at the ERA General Assembly in Berlin that it has signed an agreement with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) and Superjet International (SJI) covering a firm order for 15 Sukhoi Superjets along with options on another 10. Sukhoi values the agreement at more than $1 billion, including options and services. It expects to deliver the first of the 98-seat SSJ100s in the first quarter of next year. CityJet has agreed to take four of the airplanes in 2016 and 11 more in 2017.

As the second major Superjet contract with a Western customer and the first in Europe outside the CIS, the deal represents a major accomplishment for SCAC and particularly SJI, Sukhoi’s Western sales and support arm for the SSJ100. Mexico’s Interjet remains the model’s only Western operator.    

Cityjet plans to use the SSJ100 as the replacement for its fleet of Avro RJ85s, which it operates throughout Europe, including at London City Airport. Sukhoi said it expects the SSJ100 to gain the necessary certification for London City operations by the end of 2016.

According to CityJet chairman Pat Byrne, the airline plans to operate its Superjets in charter service next year, then introduce them into its London City route network in 2017.