Canada’s jet set
After a series of false starts Montréal-based aircraft manufacturer Bombardier officially handed over one of its long-anticipated CSeries jets to Swiss International Airlines this week at Mirabel Airport. The CS100 airplane is the first of 30 firm orders and is due to start ferrying passengers from 15 July. Originally mooted in 2004, the aircraft is the largest the company has ever built and more energy efficient and quieter than rivals in the market. The Quebec government contributed US$1bn (€907m) to the programme when delays and cost overruns crippled Bombardier, a savvy investment move that will not only pay financial dividends but also shore up Canada’s soft-power assets.