Latvia's airBaltic, which will be the first airline to operate Bombardier's CS300 plane commercially, yesterday said it had increased its order with the Canadian manufacturer from 13 to 20 aircraft.

"This brings the total order for 20 planes to a book price of around $1.5 billion, airBaltic spokesman Janis Vanags told Agence France Press (AFP). The Latvian flag carrier, which was established in 1995 and is 99 percent owned by the Baltic eurozone member, said the extra seven planes had a list price of $506 million. airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss said the purchase would "help stimulate the economies of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania," from which airBaltic operates flights to 60 destinations.

Bombardier has said it will deliver the first CS300 planes, which can hold 120 to 150 seats, to airBaltic in the second half of 2016.