Carrier To Acquire Up To 10 CRJ900 Aircraft

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has announced that Dublin-based regional carrier, CityJet has signed a conditional purchase agreement for six CRJ900 aircraft and has also taken options on an additional four aircraft. This purchase agreement is expected to go firm on January 31, 2017. Upon delivery, the aircraft will operate wet lease services on behalf of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).

Based on the list price of the CRJ900 aircraft, the conditional order is valued at approximately US $280 million and could increase to US $467 million, should CityJet exercise all its options.

"CityJet has become one of our largest European CRJ900 aircraft advocates in a short period of time and we are delighted that they continue to put their confidence in Bombardier and its products," said Ryan DeBrusk, Vice President, Sales, Europe, Russia & Commonwealth of Independent States, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "The CRJ900 aircraft is ideally suited to growing markets across Europe and is creating excellent value for a wide variety of operators with its superior performance, economics and enhanced cabin amenities."

"The reputable, modern CRJ900 aircraft offers great passenger comfort while maintaining cost effectiveness and operational flexibility; both important factors in our business model," said Pat Byrne, Executive Chairman, CityJet. "We have been very satisfied with the performance of the CRJ900 regional jets which have proven themselves to be the ideal and most efficient aircraft for our contract flying with Scandinavian Airlines."

CityJet currently owns a fleet of eight CRJ900 aircraft which are on wet lease service with SAS. The airline will also take delivery of four new CRJ900 aircraft in early 2017 as per Bombardier's order announcement on April 25, 2016, bringing CityJet's owned fleet of CRJ900 aircraft to 12. As part of its acquisition of Cimber A/S, a regional airline in Denmark and a former wholly owned subsidiary of SAS, CityJet will operate Cimber's fleet of 11 CRJ900 aircraft also on wet lease service with SAS. These aircraft will be replaced by up to 10 additional CRJ900 aircraft that were announced today.

(Image provided with Bombardier news release)

FMI: www.bombardier.com