Canadian Bombardier Aerospace is temporarily suspending production of its CRJ200 regional aircraft to deal with a market slump, a move that will cut 660 jobs in Montreal and at the company’s plant in the North.

Belfast plane maker Shorts is reducing the number of workers it is making redundant as a result of the global downturn in the airline industry following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, it announced today.

Belfast has received a significant boost with an aircraft order worth well over £1bn.