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Mexico appreciates Sukhoi Superjet-100 planes bought by local company

In accordance with the contract, the Mexican company by the end of 2014 will receive 20 Sukhoi Superjet-100 aircraft

MEXICO CITY, December 27. /ITAR-TASS/. The operation of the fourth Sukhoi Superjet-100 (SSJ-100) plane that have been delivered to the Mexican company Interjet would make it possible to increase the number of flights inside Mexico, Interjet Director General Jose Luis Garza Alvarez said on Thursday, praising the airliner’s high performance and its comfort for passengers.

The Sukhoi Superjet-100 is a fly-by-wire regional jet in the eight (VIP) to 108 (all Y) seat category. With development starting in 2000, the airliner was designed by the civil aircraft division of the Russian aerospace company Sukhoi in co-operation with its main partner Boeing. Its maiden flight was conducted on 19 May 2008. On 21 April 2011, the Superjet-100 undertook its first commercial passenger flight, on the Armavia route from Yerevan to Moscow. Designed to compete internationally with its An-148, Embraer and Bombardier counterparts, the Superjet-100 claims substantially lower operating costs, at a lower purchase price of $35 million.

The first three SSJ-100 planes since September have been making flights inside the country, demonstrating “very high performance and reliability,” Interjet representatives said. According to them, passengers who have used the services of the airliner have made “very positive comments” about it.

“The arrival of the new aircraft strengthens our company competitiveness in the development of commercial relations in the sphere of tourism and business,” Garza said. According to him, using the Sukhoi Superjet-100 airliners, the company opened a number of new destinations in the country.

Garza pointed to the plane’s high fuel economy, as well as its environmental safety. Representatives of Interjet said this airliner model was highly comfortable for passengers, in particular, in terms of the distance between the seats and the available space for the passengers’ hand luggage in the cabin.

In accordance with the contract, the Mexican company by the end of 2014 will receive 20 Sukhoi Superjet-100 aircraft. Putting them into operation, Interjet intends to increase the number of flights and flight routes. The air carrier also has an option to purchase 10 more of these airliners.

The first Sukhoi Superjet-100 arrived in Mexico on July 22. Interjet is the first air carrier in Latin America that to buy these Russian-Italian made planes.