CityJet to sign a €900m deal to renew fleet
Irish airline CityJet is set to sign a €900 million deal for up to 25 new Sukhoi Superjet100 (SSJ 100) aircraft as it progresses with plans to renew its fleet.
The Dublin-based carrier announced that it has selected the Italian-Russian built Superjet to replace its current fleet over the next two years.
The deal is valued at $1 billion or €900 million, although CityJet executive chairman Pat Byrne has already said that the company will lease the craft rather than buy them.
CityJet has an agreement with aircraft financier Falko, which will purchase the new aircraft and lease them to the airline. The partnership means that neither the carrier nor its parent, Intra Aviation, will have to fund the purchase directly.
The planes carry 98 passengers with a cabin height of 2m and are the first in their class to offer five-abreast seating.
The craft uses Snecma engines and Thales avionics from France while US engineers Honeywell makes its auxiliary power units. The SJ100 received European Aviation Safety Agency certification in 2012.
The airline is the first to use the craft in Europe.
