Mitsubishi's SpaceJet deliveries face new delay

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MAJ, Nagoya Chubu) is seeking a sixth postponement in deliveries of its SpaceJet regional passenger aircraft, according to the financial newspaper Nikkei, with a new target date to be set in November.

The Japanese manufacturer is reportedly fighting delays in securing regulatory certification. The first SpaceJet M90/MRJ90 was scheduled for delivery to launch customer ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH, Tokyo Haneda) in mid-2020, but now a likely option is a six-month delay from that date.

The aircraft, which was renamed from the Mitsubishi Regional Jet to the SpaceJet in June, was expected to breathe new life into Japan's dormant commercial aviation sector. It was originally supposed to enter service in 2013. Now entry into service will probably be pushed beyond the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The latest holdup will come two years after Mitsubishi's previous schedule revision. ANA, Japan's largest airline by revenue, is likely to start seeking compensation for the delay, Nikkei said.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the manufacturer's biggest shareholder, told the Tokyo Stock Exchange on October 21 that Mitsubishi Aircraft was putting its "utmost effort" into completing certification.