According to this piece on aironline.com the only carrier in the Americas to operate the Superjet is Mexico’s Interjet.
Belgian carrier VLM had been expected to acquire a number of Superjets but the order was delayed until a longer range version could gain certification.
Alex, thanks for that link, and hence when I said I would probably only try this plane when it is operated by VLM as I reside part time in Antwerp. The runway in Antwerp restricts operations to mainly very short landing capable aircraft. The options to extend the runway by building a tunnel for the highway have faltered, so for now, no real options on that front, so an aircraft like the Sukhoi will give VLM the operational opportunity to fly longer routes from their very convenient base. For the reasons already mentioned by many here, I wish they had opted for Bombardier’s C series (if it can do LCY it can do ANR), or the Embraer family instead of a Russian sold aircraft, but it looks like a great aircraft none the less.
Various factors influence an airline’s choice of aircraft. In the case of the Superjet it must have been an attractive price but other factors like spares and delivery dates may also have played a role.
Like the Superjet, Bombardier’s C series awaits certification for LCY.
