MOSCOW/VENICE (Sputnik) — According to the corporation's statement, a ceremony of delivery of the aircraft took place in Venice earlier Tuesday.
"The delivery of our first SSJ100 is an important milestone for CityJet as we begin our fleet renewal programme. This is a fantastic aircraft and we look forward to introducing our customers to its high levels of comfort and efficiency in the coming years," Executive Chairman of CityJet Pat Byrne said, as quoted by the corporation.
The Dublin-based airline will lease 15 SSJ100 planes with an option for another 16 aircraft. The total value of the deal is over $1 billion, including options and maintenance services.
Ireland’s CityJet regional airline announced last October that it had agreed to purchase four 98-seat configuration Superjets in 2016 and 11 additional planes the following year. CityJet has retained an option to purchase 10 additional SSJ100s.
The Superjet 100 is a twin-engine regional passenger airliner, which completed its maiden flight in 2008 and was first commercialized in 2011. The aircraft can transport up to 98 passengers at a distance of up to 2,700 miles, and costs around $36 million in its basic configuration.
