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Bombardier Inc.’s biggest customer for the CSeries jet is considering whether to take the planes after a change in airline strategy, a potential blow for an aircraft struggling to win buyers.

The 40 CS300 aircraft on order at Republic Airways Holdings Inc. are no longer a top priority as the Indianapolis-based company returns to its roots as a provider of regional flights for larger carriers, Chief Executive Officer Bryan Bedford said. Republic hasn’t made any decisions on the CSeries, he said.

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Bedford’s comments add to doubts about whether Bombardier can complete a deal valued at $3.06 billion that was announced in 2010. Since then, Bombardier has had to postpone the debut of the model it sees as a mainstay of future revenue, and Republic has dropped plans to compete with major airlines by flying full- size jetliners such as the CSeries.

“We’re focused on our core fixed-fee business,” Bedford said by telephone. “There is no place to operate the CSeries in that model. The question we’ll have to address is whether the aircraft purchase agreement has value or not and, if it does, then it becomes an asset and assets can be sold.”