Latvia's Air Baltic is evaluating additional orders for Bombardier CSeries jets as replacements for Q400 turboprops.
At a joint media briefing with Bombardier today at the Paris air show, Air Baltic's chief executive Martin Gauss noted that Q400 leases were nearing the end of their term, and said the airline was discussing with Bombardier a potential order for a mix of CS100s and CS300s to replace the turboprops. There are 12 Q400s in Air Baltic's fleet.
Earlier this month, the airline received its fifth CS300, and the carrier has a further 15 on order.
"I wish we had all 20 aircraft now," says Gauss. He acknowledges that delivery delays have affected the airline.
Air Baltic had been previously scheduled to have seven CS300s in operation by this point, he says. But he adds that the company is set to have eight aircraft by year, and to receive the same number in 2018.
In 2016, Air Baltic became the second CSeries operator after Swiss, and the first to introduce the CS300.
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Source: Cirium Dashboard
