WestJet Places Conditional Order for Up to 45 Bombardier Q400 NextGen Aircraft
June 28 2012 - 2:51PM
Marketwired
Bombardier Aerospace announced today that WestJet, an Alberta
partnership, has signed a conditional order for 20 Q400 NextGen
turboprops following the letter of intent to purchase the aircraft
that was announced by WestJet on May 1, 2012. The transaction also
includes options on an additional 25 Q400 NextGen aircraft.
Based on list price, a firm order for 20 Q400 NextGen aircraft
would be valued at approximately $683 million US, and could
increase to approximately $1.59 billion US should the 25 options be
converted to firm orders.
The announcement was made today in Calgary where WestJetters and
their families were on hand for a close-up look at the Q400 NextGen
aircraft on display at the airline's Campus. Also in attendance,
were potential regional airport delegations from across the country
and media representatives. Earlier this year, an internal WestJet
poll revealed that over 90 per cent of WestJetters were in favour
of launching a regional airline to serve more communities across
Canada. Set to begin operations in the second half of 2013, the
regional airline is anticipated to serve regional airports from
coast to coast that are currently considered under-served.
"We are delighted to welcome our friends from Bombardier to our
campus today as well as representatives from the more than 30
airports across Canada hoping to have WestJet service in their
communities in the future," said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President
and CEO. "Our launch plans are progressing nicely and we look
forward to expanding to new communities when we launch in the
second half of 2013."
"This is an exciting time for Bombardier and WestJetters alike.
We're equally keen to see how WestJet will adopt the Q400 NextGen
aircraft into its unique operations and it's a thrill to see the
enthusiasm as the airline solicits feedback from the country's
regional airports and its guests," said Mike Arcamone, President,
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "The Q400 NextGen aircraft's
superior economics, outstanding fuel economy and excellent
passenger comfort give WestJet the flexibility to service a diverse
number of routes and airports. We look forward to the waiving of
the order conditionality in the near future."
As Canada's second-largest carrier, WestJet currently provides
scheduled and chartered air service in North America and the
Caribbean.
Bombardier has booked firm orders for 428 Q400 and Q400 NextGen
airliners and delivered aircraft are in service with approximately
40 operators in 30 countries, on six continents. These aircraft
have transported more than 177 million passengers and have logged
more than 3.2 million flight hours and over 3.5 million take-offs
and landings.
About Q400 NextGen aircraft
The Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner, which is built at
Bombardier's Toronto, Ontario facility, is the most recent
development in the evolution of the Q400 aircraft, and the advanced
successor to Bombardier's Dash 8/Q-Series family of aircraft.
Optimized for short-haul operations, the "comfortably greener," 70-
to 80-seat Q400 NextGen aircraft is a large, fast, quiet and
fuel-efficient turboprop. It provides an ideal balance of passenger
comfort and operating economics with a reduced environmental
footprint.
The Q400 airliner was designed to meet the requirements of
contemporary regional air transport, characterized by both
turboprop and jet missions. Setting new environmental standards,
the Q400 aircraft uses 30 to 40 per cent less fuel and produces 30
to 40 per cent fewer emissions on routes where it has replaced
similar-capacity, older jets. The Q400 aircraft's maximum cruise
speed of 360 knots lets the aircraft fly on demand-driven
interchangeable schedules with jets. However, the Q400 aircraft can
slow down to achieve fuel parity with other turboprops on a
per-seat basis, while still maintaining both speed and cost
advantages.
The Q400 NextGen aircraft features an enhanced cabin environment
with the introduction of LED lighting, new ceiling panels, dished
window sidewalls and larger overhead luggage bins. These features,
combined with the aircraft's Active Noise and Vibration Suppression
(ANVS) system, provide an excellent cabin experience for
passengers.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and
trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is
evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more
efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our
vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us
a global leader in transportation.
Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Our shares are
traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the
Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3
billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com
or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Notes to editors
Images of WestJet Q400 NextGen aircraft are available in the
press releases section at: www.bombardier.com.
Additional information on the Q400 aircraft is available at:
www.q400nextgen.com.
Follow @Bombardier_Aero on Twitter to receive the latest news
and updates from Bombardier Aerospace.
Active Noise and Vibration Suppression, Bombardier, NextGen,
Q400 and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier
Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Contacts: Marc Duchesne Bombardier Commercial Aircraft
+1-416-375-3030 www.bombardier.com
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