Canadian business jet maker Bombardier suspends all activities with Russian clients

MONTREAL (Reuters) – Business jet maker Bombardier Inc said on Friday it has suspended all activities with Russian clients, as more companies cut ties in the country following the introduction of sweeping sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Western nations including Canada have imposed sanctions on prominent Russians, taken steps to stop business with the country and closed their airspace to Russian-owned, chartered or operated aircraft.

“We will continue to adhere to international laws, regulations and sanctions, as they evolve,” the Montreal-based company said in a statement.

Bombardier said the suspended activities include all forms of technical assistance.

The company has said about 5% or 6% of its business jet deliveries traditionally go to customers in the region. Its latest reported order backlog is $12.2 billion.

Canada exported nearly C$112 million ($87.97 million) in aircraft to Russia in 2021, the highest level in the last five years, according to government data.

Separately on Friday, Transport Canada said it had cleared a private aircraft to depart from Yellowknife without passengers, after determining that the plane, while not Russian-owned or registered, had “operated contrary” to the country’s airspace restrictions when it landed on March 1.

The Canadian regulator fined Geneva-based aircraft operator Dunard Engineering Ltd C$15,000 and imposed C$3,000 fines on each of the plane’s two pilots, along with a Russian national who chartered the plane.

($1 = 1.2732 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Additional reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa, Editing by Franklin Paul and Bill Berkrot)