Russia renews pitch for eight Sukhoi jets for Air Serbia
The Russian Ministry for Industry and Trade has said it has renewed discussions with the Serbian government over the potential acquisition of eight Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft for Air Serbia at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) last week. The Russian Minister for Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, attended the meeting between Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov and the Serbian Minister without a portfolio, in charge of innovations and technological development, Nenad Popović. "During the meeting, the parties also discussed the deal being worked out on the acquisition of the Superjet aircraft by the Serbian side", the Russian ministry said in a statement. As EX-YU Aviation News learns, Air Serbia has shown little interest in the aircraft, which is why talks have been elevated to an inter-governmental level.
Sukhoi first approached and pitched the SSJ100 to the Serbian carrier in late 2015. In 2017, the plane manufacturer reiterated it was negotiating with Air Serbia over a potential aircraft order. In December 2019, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said his country’s aviation sector was prepared to assist in the renewal of Air Serbia’s fleet. That same month, Serbian aircraft maintenance specialist Jat Tehnika become Europe’s first maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisation to win approval for the line and base maintenance of the SSJ100 jet. The company secured EASA Part 145 approval for the type, which covers its Belgrade base and its line stations at other airports.
The Sukhoi Superjet has the capacity to seat between 87 and 108 passengers, depending on cabin layout and seat configuration. The Russian manufacturer is planning a new generation of the regional jet with extended capacity, new wings and new engines, which is expected to appear after 2025. Air Serbia itself has not commented on the Russian government’s comments over its interest in acquiring the aircraft. The Serbian carrier added two Airbus A319 jets to its fleet last year but returned one A320 and one ATR72 to the lessor. It also shelved plans to lease additional ATR72s last year with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and retired three Boeing 737s from its fleet.
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