CityJet (WX, Dublin International) has whittled down its fleet renewal options to Embraer (EMB, São José dos Campos Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf) and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (Zhukovsky) airline founder and executive chairman Pat Byrne has revealed. Earlier this year, Hans Rudolf Wöhrl, the founder of investor INTRO Aviation, stated the C-Series from Bombardier Aerospace (BBA, Montréal Trudeau) had also been considered as a possible contender.
Speaking to journalists in Dublin last week, Byrne said the European regional operator would order up to fifteen aircraft once a decision is made, likely in the coming weeks. The aircraft, which will be secured via a USD300 million sale/lease back agreement with lessor Falko, will be used to replace its ageing fleet of seventeen ARJ-85s.
Byrne added that Cityjet plans to boost its wet-leasing business to the point it comprises 60% of the airline's revenue with the remaining 40% attributed to its scheduled operations. As such, the company is close securing contracts with an undisclosed number of mainline European carriers, he added.
