Bombardier Aerospace confirmed today that Ethiopian Airlines is the customer that placed the firm order for five Q400 NextGen airliners announced on February 13, 2012. Two of the five aircraft will be operated by Ethiopian Airlines and three by its affiliate, ASKY Airlines of Togo.
Ethiopian Airlines, the flag carrier of Ethiopia and one of Africa's leading airlines, serves 64 international destinations. The order announced today will increase the number of Q400 NextGen airliners purchased by Ethiopian Airlines to 13.

Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen airliner, the transaction is valued at approximately $160 million US.

"The Q400 NextGen airliner has fully met our expectations for economics, performance and passenger acceptance," said Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines. "Of great importance to us is the aircraft's high rate of climb, single-engine service ceiling and higher take-off weight, thus greater payload, when operating from our high altitude-hot weather airports."

"Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft have been gaining headway in Africa, where Ethiopian Airlines and ten other operators now have more than 40 of these aircraft in service or on firm order," said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Q400 aircraft are proving their high value in both the arid environment of Northern Africa and the moist environment in sub-Saharan Africa."

Altogether, more than 200 Bombardier-produced CRJ Series regional jets and Q-Series turboprops are on firm order or in service in Africa and the Middle East.

About Q400 NextGen 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.

Setting new environmental standards, the Q400 NextGen 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 NextGen aircraft is also 15 decibels quieter than ICAO Chapter 4 noise standards; raising the bar for the entire industry. In addition, this year a Q400 aircraft will be flown using fuel from an oilseed crop as part of a biofuel test program that was announced in 2010.

Including the transaction announced today, Bombardier has booked firm orders for 418 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft, with 389 delivered as of December 31, 2011.

Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft, which are in service with approximately 40 operators in 30 countries on six continents, 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 Bombardier

A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011, were $17.9 billion, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.



Source: http://press.commercialaircraft.bombardier.com/