Options For 15 Additional Airplanes Could Bring The Deal To Nearly A Billion Dollars

Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Jazz Air LP (“Jazz”) of Halifax, Nova Scotia has signed a firm purchase agreement to acquire 15 Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners and has taken options on an additional 15 Q400 NextGen aircraft. Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately $454 million and could increase to $937 million should all 15 options be converted to firm orders.

“The introduction of the Q400 NextGen aircraft is a perfect complement to our fleet of Canadian-built Bombardier turboprops and regional jets,” said Joseph Randell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jazz Air LP. “This aircraft, which in Jazz configuration will have 74 seats in a single-class cabin, offers superior passenger comfort, fuel efficiency and improved environmental performance. I’m confident that our passengers will appreciate the quiet interior and speed of this new technology.”

Jazz is the world’s largest operator of Dash 8/Q-Series aircraft, and forms an integral part of Air Canada’s domestic and Canada-U.S. transborder market presence and strategy. The airline currently operates 64 Bombardier CRJ Series regional jets and 64 Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops. “Jazz has recognized the capabilities of the Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft for short- and medium-length regional routes,” said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Since it entered revenue service a decade ago, the Q400 aircraft has raised turboprop service and passenger comfort to an unprecedented level around the world.”

Including the order announced today, Bombardier has now booked firm orders for 378 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft and had delivered 288 of the aircraft as of January 31, 2010.

FMI: www.bombardier.com