London City airport is working with Embraer to obtain certification for the E190-E2 to operate out of the gateway during 2019.
Speaking to FlightGlobal at the Routes Europe conference in Bilbao on 23 April, London City chief executive Robert Sinclair says certifying the jet for the steep approach and "specific requirements" for operating out of London City is a "major objective" for the airport.
"Our plan is to have that [aircraft] certified during the course of 2019," he adds.
The UK CAA and EASA will be involved in the E2 certification at London City.
He notes that Norwegian carrier Wideroe is planning to begin services between Kristiansand and London Stansted later this summer with the E2 and says London City is keeping a "very close eye" on the aircraft's operations.
Sinclair also says discussions are taking place with UK start-up Odyssey Airlines and that "probably in a year or two" the planned carrier will begin Bombardier CSeries transatlantic routes from the gateway.
"We continue to be in discussion with Odyssey and that’s an opportunity which they and we are progressing," he adds.
Sinclair states the airline is still planning to operate "full service" flights to New York and could add other routes to destinations on the eastern seaboard of the USA and to the Middle East.
Swiss is already operating flights into London City using the Bombardier CS100 and Sinclair describes this as being "really successful for us in terms of demonstrating the operational characteristics of that aircraft".
"We are keen to see Swiss in particular continue their investment in that aircraft and perhaps in the fullness of time Odyssey," he adds.
Sinclair says London City remains in "constant dialogue" with both Sukhoi and CityJet to bring the Superjet to the airport, but at present there were no updates on certification of the aircraft.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
