BRA axes A220 order but plans E190 wet-lease

Scandinavian carrier Braathens Regional Airlines has axed a long-standing order for Airbus A220s, and plans to wet-lease Embraer 190s for regional jet operations. BRA evolved from the merger of Malmo Aviation with other carrier operations and inherited the order for 10 Bombardier CSeries jets originally placed by Malmo in 2011. Malmo Aviation, through an associated lessor, had been one of the first four customers to order the CSeries – signing for five CS300s and five CS100s – with plans to take them from 2014. It was initially aiming to be a launch operator for the CSeries but abandoned this plan in 2014, as it hinted at a postponement of the type’s introduction. After BRA absorbed Malmo Aviation, it expressed concerns over traffic projections, including the impact of additional aviation taxes, and pushed back deliveries of the aircraft.