Air Transport

Macedonian Airlines (MAT) has taken delivery of the first of three Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets on firm order. The second 86-seat CRJ900 is due to be handed over in July and the third in March 2007 as part of the $86 million deal. MAT will use the aircraft to connect the Macedonian capital Skopje with European cities including Brussels, London, Munich and Paris. The Bombardier deal replaces a contract that MAT in October 2005 said it had signed with Embraer for an E-170 and two larger E-175s. The E-170 was even painted in MAT colours ready for delivery at the end of last year and pilot training had begun in Brazil.