Story ID: BCBombardierQ400order07122012
Bombardier Finishes Farnborough With Q400 Order
By: Bill Carey
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Word Count: 292
Bombardier Aerospace closed its Farnborough International Airshow order book last Thursday by announcing a firm order for six Q400 NextGen turboprops by Chorus Aviation of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the parent company of Jazz Aviation. The transaction, valued at $189 million, involved the conversion of six of 15 options taken by Jazz Aviation in 2010. The aircraft will be operated under the Air Canada Express banner.

Earlier in the week, Bombardier announced that Air Baltic of Riga, Latvia, had signed a letter of intent to acquire 10 CS300 CSeries airliners and take purchase rights on a further 10 CS300s, a transaction potentially worth $1.57 billion. Another, unidentified customer placed a conditional order for five CS100 and 10 CS300 jetliners valued at $1.02 billion based on list prices. Bombardier said China Express Airlines converted a conditional order for six CRJ900 NextGen regional jets into a firm order worth $264 million, and took options on an additional five CRJ900 NextGen aircraft.

Jazz Aviation is Canada’s largest regional airline, serving destinations in Canada and the U.S., and the world’s largest operator of Bombardier Dash 8/Q-Series aircraft, with 80 of the turboprops and 51 CRJ series regional jets. The carrier accepted delivery of Bombardier’s 400th Q400 in June. Joe Randall, Jazz Aviation president and CEO, said the 70- to 80-seat Q400 NextGens will replace 50-seat CRJs. They will initially operate from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, however, Randall said the route structure is not finalized and “we anticipate a larger footprint in Canada.”

Including the Chorus Aviation order, Bombardier said it has booked firm orders for 434 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft. Michele Arcamone, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft president, said the distribution of Q400 operators across Canada demonstrates “the aircraft is justified in Canadian geography.”