EASA has certified the Sukhoi Superjet SSJ100 to operate into airports with runways as narrow as 30 m (98 ft.) wide.

The approval was triggered by a request from Irish regional airline CityJet, which became the European launch operator for the SSJ100 in June 2016.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft president Ilya Tarasenko said the certification forms part of a strategy to expand the operating capabilities of the twinjet.

As part of this push, Sukhoi is also working to secure steep-approach certification into London City airport by December 2017.

"This approach mode will be guaranteed by wing-flap system modernization and flight management system and avionics improvement," Sukhoi said. "Flight tests are to be started in the summer of 2017."

Dublin-based CityJet, which is a key operator at London City, is taking 15 SSJ100s and has options on another 16.

Sukhoi is also developing horizontal winglets for the SSJ100 as a further performance improvement, which should be available from 2018.