Bombardier delivers its first CS300

Bombardier delivers its first CS300

Employees cheer with signs in front of the CS300 aircraft after Bombardier Inc announced the delivery of its first CS300 aircraft to AS Air Baltic Corp (airBaltic) in Mirabel, Quebec on Monday. (Reuters photo)
Employees cheer with signs in front of the CS300 aircraft after Bombardier Inc announced the delivery of its first CS300 aircraft to AS Air Baltic Corp (airBaltic) in Mirabel, Quebec on Monday. (Reuters photo)

Montreal: Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Inc announced Monday the delivery of its first CS300, purchased by Latvian carrier airBaltic which plans to start flying the jetliner on December 14.

It marks the company's move from development into commercialisation of the new aircraft.

Able to carry up to 160 passengers, the CS300 is the longest of Bombardier's CSeries jetliners, which were designed to compete with the workhorses of the aviation market, the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

The first off the assembly line, the smaller CS100, was delivered to Lufthansa in July.

airBaltic said it planned to put the first 20 CS300 jetliners it has ordered into service flying between Riga and Amsterdam.

The CSeries is Bombardier's first foray outside business and regional passenger aircraft into the category of medium-range jets, which also promise reduced fuel costs and emissions.

Its C$5.4 billion development, however, has been plagued with delays and cost overruns.

Delays in the delivery of Pratt & Whitney engines for the CSeries caused the latest hiccups, resulting in Bombardier delivering only seven instead of 15 aircraft this year.

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