TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 3, 2014) - Bombardier Aerospace today announced that lessor Palma Holding Limited (Palma) has signed a firm purchase agreement for four dual-class Q400 NextGen aircraft. The agreement, which also includes options for an additional four Q400 NextGen aircraft, follows a letter of intent to acquire the aircraft that Bombardier announced on November 18, 2013. Under a joint venture with Ibdar Bank BSC, Palma intends to lease four of the Q400 NextGen aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines.
As previously announced, based on list price, the contract value for Palma's transaction covering four Q400 NextGen aircraft and four options is approximately $282 million US.
"The two-class configured Q400 NextGen aircraft provides customers like Ethiopian Airlines with operational flexibility, as well as excellent route and lease structures prospects - we look forward to joining the Bombardier family," said Moulay Omar Alaoui, President, Palma Holding Ltd. "The addition of the Q400 NextGen airliner to our portfolio will present many exciting business development opportunities for our customers."
"I am delighted to welcome Palma as the first Middle Eastern lessor for the Q400 NextGen aircraft, and the first lessor worldwide for the aircraft's dual-class configuration," said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "As momentum for the Q400 NextGen aircraft continues to build in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere, we look forward to adding many more operators to the family of 50 that are presently deriving excellent benefits from the aircraft's operational flexibility, outstanding performance, passenger amenities and environmental credentials."
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates a fleet that includes 13 Q400 NextGen airliners. Bombardier's presence in the Middle East and Africa currently includes more than 200 Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops, CRJ regional jets and CSeries single-aisle, mainline aircraft in service or on firm order.
About Q400 NextGen aircraft
The Q400 NextGen turboprop 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 86-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 NextGen aircraft is ideally suited to the Middle East and Africa because of its outstanding capabilities, including its hot and high performance; ability to operate from unpaved runways; jet-like speed of 360 knots (667 km/h) that allows it to easily maintain jet schedule; range capability of 1,114 nm (2,063 km); and advanced avionics that offers pilots enhanced situational awareness and flexibility.
Including Palma's order, Bombardier has booked firm orders for a total of 484 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft. Worldwide, Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft have transported more than 295 million passengers and have logged over 4.7 million flight hours and more than 5.0 million take-offs and landings. The Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft program includes some 50 owners and operators in over 30 countries on five continents.
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 Montréal, 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, 2012, we posted revenues of $16.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Notes to Editors
Images of Q400 NextGen aircraft in Bombardier's livery are posted with this press release at www.bombardier.com.
Additional information on the Q400 NextGen aircraft is available at www.q400nextgen.com.
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Bombardier, CRJ, CSeries, Dash 8, NextGen, Q400, Q-Series and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.