Bombardier sends CS300 to New York for demonstrations

Bombardier appears to be demonstrating a CS300 to JetBlue Airways, which has been moving closer to completing a fleet review that could include a new aircraft order.

The Montreal-based manufacturer confirms it has flown a CS300 to New York for demonstrations. Though the company declines to specify the potential customer, airport observers in recent days tracked a CS300 to aJetBlue hangar at New York John F Kennedy airport. Social media users also posted pictures of a CS300 in front of what they said is JetBlue's JFKhangar.

The fact that the demonstration aircraft is Bombardier's larger CS300 variant does not mean the potential customer favours that type over the smaller CS100, Bombardier says.

Rather, the company deployed a CS300 instead of a CS100 because the CS300 was available, it adds.

As part of its fleet review, JetBlue is studying whether to replace its 100-seat Embraer 190s with new aircraft such Bombardier's CSeries or Embraer's new E-Jet E2 family.

CS100s carry about 108 seats, while the larger CS300 carries about 130 seats, according to Bombardier. Embraer's aircraft in that size category include the 97-seat E190-E2 and the 120-seat E195-E2, according to that company.