Cityjet retires RJ85 fleet from service after 22 years in the skies

Irish ACMI carrier CityJet said farewell on Monday 2nd November to the last of its Avro RJ85/Bae 146 aircraft which has served the airline for almost 27 years. The airline announced it's Avro fleet flew 475,000 flights and 580,000 hours since 1993 equivalent to 67 years in the air and a distance approximating to around 1,000 times to the moon. In 2006 the carrier acquired 23 of the ex-Mesaba Airlines RJ85's were acquired from BAE Systems and US-based financial underwriters and securitisation specialist MBIA in an investment that the airline valued at the time at $221 million (approx €198.2 million). The RJ85's replaced its fleet of 20 BAe 146s citing shared characteristics and enhanced performance, better economics and reduced maintenance costs with four-abreast seating in business class and six-abreast in economy. Cityjet Executive Chairman Pat Byrne said "Today is a momentous day as we bid farewell