MIRABEL, Que.—Bombardier’s CSeries program is finally getting off the ground with delivery of the aircraft to Swiss International Air Lines, the first carrier to accept the plane, after 2.5 years of delay and at least $2 billion in cost overruns.
The CS100 passenger jet was formally handed over Wednesday, June 29, to the European carrier at Montreal’s Mirabel airport.
“A new aircraft program like the CSeries aircraft comes around once in a lifetime and it’s a proud achievement that belongs to many,” Rob Dewar, vice-president of Bombardier’s CSeries program, said in a statement.
The plane, the first of 30 firm CSeries orders by Swiss International, is scheduled to leave for Zurich on Thursday morning and begin regular service July 15.
The CSeries made its first passenger flights in North America later Wednesday with members of the news media as well as suppliers and guests invited aboard two one-hour flights around the airport.
A similar flight took place June 3 between Dublin and Zurich. A test aircraft will also conduct passenger flights next month at the Farnborough Air Show near London.
