MAKS: Azimuth Airlines mulling more SSJ100s

The airline has already received its first two of the type (Fyodor Borisov / Transport-Photo.com)

Russia’s new carrier Azimuth Airlines, which placed a firm order for eight Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) regional airliners with State Transport Leasing Corporation (GTLK), might expand to 16 of the type.

At the ongoing MAKS 2017 exhibition, the carrier signed a letter of intent with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), the Superjet manufacturer, for another four such airplanes. Deliveries are preliminarily scheduled to take place in 2021-22.

The airline hopes to have ironed out the technicalities and selected the leassor before the end of the year. A similar preliminary letter, for another four Superjets to be delivered by 2020, had been signed with GTLK earlier, as earlier reported by Russian Aviation Insider.

The eight firm deliveries are expected to be completed in 2018. Azimuth Airlines has already received the first two airframes. These represent the SSJ100LR long-range version, and come in two different cabin configurations: the all-economy one seats 103 passengers, whereas the other converts from 100 seats in single class to a total of 93 in coach and economy, SCAC says.

To be initially based at Rostov International Airport, Azimuth expects to launch operations in September 2017. Once Rostov’s new Platov airport, which is currently under construction, becomes operational, the airline plans to move there.