Can an aircraft that is no longer in production still make real economic sense?
The Bombardier CRJ1000 raises precisely that question.
Launched in 2007 and in service since 2010, it is the culmination of the CRJ family. Bombardier had gradually stretched its regional jet from about 50 seats to 70, 90 and then 100 seats.
The aim was simple: carry more passengers without forcing airlines to move straight to a single-aisle of 150 seats or more.
Why the CRJ1000?
The CRJ1000 can carry about 100 passengers.
With a length of 39 metres, two GE CF34 engines and a range of roughly 2,700 to 3,000 km depending on version and conditions, it is above all intended for regional and short-haul routes.
But its main appeal is not only technical.
It is economic.
For an airline already operating CRJ700s or CRJ900s, introducing the CRJ1000 meant adding capacity while keeping much of the same environment:
- crews;
- maintenance;
- parts;
- procedures;
- training.
In other words, Bombardier was not just selling 100 seats.
It was offering 100 extra seats inside a system the operator already knew.
Air Nostrum: an interesting example
The Spanish airline Air Nostrum, based in Valencia and operating under the Iberia Regional brand, remains one of the best examples.
It still operates the CRJ1000 today.
Why?
Because its network has many routes where a 70-seat aircraft can become too small, while a 150- to 180-seat aircraft would sometimes bring too much capacity.
That is precisely the zone where the CRJ1000 can find its place.
What really matters to the operator
To judge this aircraft today, the purchase price is not enough.
Four questions matter more.
How many passengers can I carry on a regular basis?
A 100-seat aircraft becomes interesting if the route regularly generates 80, 90 or 100 passengers.
With 40 or 50 passengers, its economics become much less favourable.
What is my cost per seat?
A larger aircraft can cost more per flight but less per passenger when the seats are properly filled.
Can I maintain the aircraft efficiently?
CRJ production has ended, but the fleet is still supported by MHIRJ, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
For an operator, especially an African one, the real question remains the proximity of maintenance capability, the availability of parts and the cost of the engines.
On which routes will I use it?
That is probably the essential point.
On a 1- to 2-hour sector, with demand above 70 passengers but not enough to fill an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737 regularly, an aircraft in this category can make sense.
And for Africa?
The CRJ1000 could be relevant on certain African routes.
Not because it is regional.
But because many markets need intermediate capacity.
Each route, however, has to be analysed on its own:
actual demand, frequency, average fare, cargo, temperature, airfield elevation, maintenance and parts availability.
A cheap used aircraft can quickly become expensive if it sits on the ground for lack of technical support.
An old aircraft is not necessarily a bad tool
The CRJ1000 is no longer built.
Its design belongs to a previous generation.
Yet some operators keep using it.
That may be the main lesson of this aircraft.
The value of an aircraft does not depend only on its age or its technology. It depends above all on how well it fits the network it has to serve.
On a route where 70 seats are not enough but 150 would be too many, the CRJ1000 still raises an interesting question:
should we always look for the newest aircraft, or simply for the one whose capacity actually matches the market?
Sources
- MHI, CRJ family, consulted in October 2026: capacity, length, engines, programme takeover in 2020.
- Air Nostrum, fleet in service, consulted in October 2026.
