Jan 19 2012

PrivatAir agrees to purchase up to 10 CSeries Aircraft

Privatair LogoBombardier announced this afternoon that PrivatAir of Switzerland has placed a firm order for five CS100 airliners and has taken options on an additional five CS100 aircraft.

This order makes PrivatAir the 11th customer for Bombardier’s next generation of aircraft.

The CSeries aircraft acquired by PrivatAir will be delivered in an all-business class configuration according to a press release from Bombardier released today.

PrivatAir operates a fleet of commercial and business aircraft which provide private charter and private airline services. Its services also include exclusively business class flights on behalf of several major network airlines.

Including the order from PrivatAir announced today, Bombardier has booked firm orders for 138 CSeries airliners. Other customers include Republic Airways (40 CS300 aircraft), Deutsche Lufthansa AG (30 CS100 aircraft), Lease Corporation International Group (17 CS300 and three CS100 aircraft), Korean Air (10 CS300 aircraft), Braathens Aviation (five CS100 and five CS300 aircraft), an unidentified major network carrier (10 CS100 aircraft), an unidentified European customer (10 CS100 aircraft) and an unidentified airline (three CS100 aircraft).

The CSeries aircraft program has also booked options for 124 aircraft and purchase rights for 10 aircraft, as well as Letters of Intent for up to 30 CSeries aircraft from Ilyushin Finance, and for up to 15 CS300 aircraft from Atlasjet.

 

Jan 19 2012

Bahrain Air in talks for SSJ or CSeries aircraft

Bahrain Air LogoBahrain Air has indicated that it is in negotiations with Sukhoi and Bombardier for the purchase of aircraft. The stated interest was for up to five Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ) aircraft, a company official indicated in an interview on Thursday.

The airline has indicated that it will announce its decision in the first quarter of 2012 and expects delivery of ordered aircraft in the 2014 to 2015 time frame.

Russian United Aircraft Corporation officials have confirmed preliminary talks with Bahrain’s second flag carrier on the SSJ purchase, but Bombardier has not commented on the report.

Sukhoi has received over 200 firm orders for Superjet 100 airliners so far and there are currently five Superjet 100s in service with Armavia Airlines and Aeroflot in Russia.

Jan 17 2012

Possible Order for CSeries aircraft from Gulf Air at 2012 Bahrain Airshow

Industry sources indicate that Gulf Air may announce an order for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft at the 2012 Bahrain Airshow.

The airline was planning to introduce 10 regional jets into its fleet, with Embraer, Airbus and Bombardier competing for the order.

Bombardier has been reportedly selected as the successful bidder over Airbus and Embraer by Bahrain’s governmental tender board. The order, reportedly valued at US$328 million, is assumed to be for the smaller 110-seat CS100 variant of the CSeries aircraft family.

The CSeries program was launched by Bombardier in 2008. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney engines which offer a 15 percent cash operating cost advantage and a 20 percent fuel burn advantage over previous generation powerplants, and give the aircraft a maximum range of 5463 kilometers. The first CS100 is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2013, while the CS300 model is expected to enter service in 2014. However, industry speculation has mounted that delays will be announced by Bombardier, which has booked firm orders for 133 CSeries aircraft to date.

Jan 16 2012

Westjet considering regional subsidiary

Westjet LogoWestJet Airlines annoucened today that it is looking at starting a short-haul regional airline as early as 2013.

In doing so, WestJet would be in direct competition with its main rival Air Canada, which generally is the only airline that flies into certain smaller Canadian markets with its feeder airline Air Canada Express..

WestJet started operations in 1996 with three Boeing 737-200 aircraft and five destinations. Since that time, it has upgraded to 737-600, -700 and -800 series aircraft, and flies to 71 cities including destinations in the U.S. and Caribbean.

It is assumed that to operate a short-haul regional network, Westjet would need to add approximately 40 regional turboprop aircraft to its fleet.

Possible aircraft to fill that role include the Bombardier DHC-8Q-400 and the ATR 72.

As of October 31, 2011, Bombardier reported 412 total orders for the DHC-8Q-400 aircraft, of which 383 had been delivered.

WestJet has not commented on which routes it is considering, but possible destinations include: Cranbrook, Prince Rupert and Fort St. John in British Columbia, Brandon and Thompson in Manitoba, and Sudbury, Sarnia and Timmins in Ontario.