Russian regional carrier Yamal Airlines will cancel a planned purchase of 10 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft, following the Sunday’s crash-landing of Superjet 100 aircraft operated by Aeroflot.
Yamal announced its decision on Monday after Russia’s transport minister declined to ground the aircraft in response to the accident.
A Sukhoi Superjet-100 in the colors of Russian national carrier Aeroflot made an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on Sunday, with much of the rear part of the plane engulfed in flames. At least 41 people died. The cause of the crash is not officially announced but it is believed that there was a loss of communication caused by a lightning strike. The mayor of a northern Russian city who was aboard the Superjet-100 during its deadly crash-landing in Moscow, said he saw the plane being hit by lightning.“I’d heard two loud bangs, turned my head and saw two large flashes somewhere around the engine,” Vladimir Yevmenkov told TASS, describing the moment when the jet was allegedly hit by lightning shortly after takeoff.
Yamal’s General Director Vasily Kryuk told Russian news agency TASS that servicing costs on the narrow-body Superjet 100 are too high and that’s the main reason to cancel the order.
Yamal operates 15 of the planes and is Russia’s second-largest Superjet 100 operator after national flag carrier Aeroflot.
The JSC Sukhoi Company is a major Soviet, and later a Russian aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow.
Recently, Thailand’s Kom Airlines signed a contract for the delivery of six SSJ100 with the 100-seats layout during the period of 2019-2020. The total value of the contract is about $300 million in catalog prices. The first SSJ100 is to be delivered to Kom Airlines in Autumn 2019. Kom Airlines plans to operate SSJ100 both inside the country and abroad.
