As part of a wide ranging strategy to update and streamline fleet operations, Brussels Airlines will introduce the Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjet on several routes beginning March 26. Three SSJ100s will will be wet-leased from CityJet (Irish carrier) meaning that the aircraft will be operated by CityJet crew. CityJet is the only Western European airline to operate the Russian-made aircraft.
The lease arrangement is in place for 2 years as Brussels Airlines transitions away from the Avro RJ100 ‘Jumbolino’ and awaits A320 aircraft to be brought in as replacements for the Avro. As it stands today, the last 8 of Brussels Airlines Avro’s are scheduled to be removed from service by November 2017.
The Brussels Airlines destinations that will see the SuperJet will be Basel, Berlin Tegel, Birmingham, Bologna, Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Geneva, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Krakow, Milan Linate, Milan (Linate AND Malpensa), Nice, Prague, Venice, Vienna, and Warsaw.