Superjet making international inroads?

Last week has been particularly interesting when it comes to the international prospects for the Sukhoi Superjet.

First was the news that Air France may be flying Superjets on some routes this summer...no, the French flag carrier has not ordered Superjets of late..what we are seeing is a side-effect CityJet's decision to get Superjets. The Irish regional airline expects to wet-lease part of its fleet to European flag carriers striving to meet peaks of demand during the high season.

But new orders might indeed be coming from other quarters: the Superjet is said to have been offered to countries in the Middle East. Both Egypt and Iraq may be considering it, with the Egyptian deal looking close to fruition...

There were also news from Central Europe, as Sukhoi itself might be considering investing in a new Hungarian airline. While it is unclear whether the Hungarian market, already the base of a large airline, Wizz Air, can support a new government-supported "flag carrier" (we all know what happened to Malev), any such investment would obviously act as a showcase for the Superjet.