Epress.am News from Armenia
The managers of one of Russia’s leading air carriers, Aeroflot, are about to ask the government to enforce penalties against Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company for the failure to deliver Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft on time, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said on Friday, reports Itar-Tass news agency.
“The contract delivery term has expired,” he said. “And now managers are drafting their proposals on penalties to be
submitted first to Aeroflot’s board of directors and then to the government.”
Moreover, Aeroflot may raise claims to the technical condition of the superjets if it impacts economic aspects of their use.
“As of now, Aeroflot has a number of questions regarding superjet’s technical parameters, which differ from those fixed by the contract signed several years ago,” the minister added.
The first Sukhoi Superjet 100 flew in Nov. 2010, and one of its first customers was Armenia’s Armavia airlines.
As told to Epress.am by Armavia press secretary Nana Avetisova, their company has had no problems with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company CJSC.
“We will receive this Superjet 100 on time. The opening ceremony will take place on Apr. 19 at Zvartnots [Yerevan] airport as planned,” she said.
Note, the commercial aircraft is designed to carry up to 98 passengers. Fourteen SSJ-100 airplanes are set to be produced in 2011; 25, in 2012; then, 60–70 per year.
According to the world aeronautical press agency AvioNews, the first SSJ-100 passenger flight was scheduled for Apr. 12, connecting Yerevan to Moscow.