TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/14/14 -- Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has delivered Air Cote d'Ivoire's first two Q400 NextGen turboprops and the aircraft will be showcased on Saturday, November 15 during an inauguration event in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire. The purchase agreement between Bombardier and Abidjan-based Air Cote d'Ivoire, which covers two firm-ordered Q400 NextGen aircraft plus two options, was announced on December 18, 2013. Air Cote d'Ivoire is the national airline of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire.
The airline has also opted to enroll its Q400 NextGen fleet in Bombardier's Smart Parts program, which offers competitive and predictable component exchange and repair costs, as well as superior quality and availability of key components. The five-year Smart Parts agreement is customized to meet the airline's specific operational and performance needs.
As previously announced, based on list price, the contract value for the two Q400 NextGen aircraft is approximately $69 million US. Should Air Cote d'Ivoire's two options be converted to firm orders, the contract value would increase to $141 million US.
In September 2014, as preparations were being made for the delivery of the aircraft, General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman and Rene Decurey, Chief Executive Officer of Air Cote d'Ivoire led a delegation to meet with Bombardier's leadership team in Toronto, Ontario where the Q400 NextGen aircraft is manufactured. Other attendees at a special ceremony held at that time included His Excellency Gaoussou Toure, Minister of Transportation of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire; His Excellency N'goran Kouame, Ambassador of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire to Canada; The Honorable Joe Daniel, Member of Parliament for Don Valley East, Ontario; and representatives of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire's National Civil Aviation Authority.
"As we modernize our fleet and expand our domestic and regional route network, we will benefit from the Q400 NextGen aircraft's dual-class configuration, which provides a true business class, as well as its outstanding speed, long-range cruise capability and operational flexibility," said Mr. Decurey. "In addition, we expect that the Q400 NextGen aircraft's fuel efficiency will serve us well in West Africa, where average fuel prices are among the highest in the world and the highest on the continent."
"We're delighted to be contributing to Air Cote d'Ivoire's growth strategy, and look forward to helping the airline launch service as the fifth operator of dual-class Q400 NextGen turboprops in Africa," said John Kassis, Regional Vice President, Sales, the Middle East and Africa, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
"Bombardier Commercial Aircraft's successful sales performance in Africa has demonstrated the fit of our commercial aircraft portfolio with the business requirements of operators on the continent. Our Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops and CRJ regional jets have made significant advances in Africa where approximately 160 aircraft - including more than 50 Q400 and Q400 NextGen turboprops - are in service with, or ordered by, approximately 40 customers and operators," added Mr. Kassis.
"With our Smart Parts program, Air Cote d'Ivoire can count on cost predictability, and dispatch availability, which are fundamental to successful airline operations," said Todd Young, Vice President, Customer Services, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "This program reflects our commitment to the aftermarket relationship with Air Cote d'Ivoire and the value in our manufacturer-designed customer support programs."
Bombardier's customer support network for commercial aircraft in Africa includes a Regional Support Office (RSO) and spare parts depot, co-located in Johannesburg, South Africa as well as Authorized Service Facilities in South Africa and Ethiopia. Operating from the company's regional office located in the United Arab Emirates, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft's sales and marketing team is well positioned to provide industry-leading solutions to its current and prospective customers.
About Q400 NextGen Aircraft
With the introduction of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, Bombardier invented the modern turboprop. Optimized for short-haul operations and seating up to 86 passengers, the aircraft is a large, fast, quiet and fuel-efficient turboprop that provides the perfect balance of passenger comfort, performance and operational flexibility with the lowest seat-mile costs in the short-haul regional market. With the flexibility to fly at both turboprop and jet-like speeds, the Q400 NextGen aircraft can be profitably deployed over short-range turboprop missions and in medium-haul jet markets. Now available in optional dual-class, extra capacity and passenger-cargo combi configurations, the Q400 NextGen aircraft's versatility positions it to again reshape the turboprop market through profitable growth.
The Q400 NextGen aircraft features an enhanced cabin environment with the introduction of LED lighting, new ceiling panels, dished window sidewalls and larger overhead luggage bins. These features, combined with the aircraft's Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) system, provide an excellent cabin experience for passengers.
Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 514 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft. Worldwide, Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft have transported more than 355 million passengers and have logged over 5.7 million flight hours and more than 6.1 million take-offs and landings. The Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft program includes over 50 customers and operators in close to 40 countries on six continents. Long recognized as a high-value asset by operators, the Q400 aircraft is now also attracting growing interest from the leasing community.
About Smart Parts
Since Bombardier launched the Smart Parts program for Q400 aircraft in 2008, it has attracted a growing number of airlines worldwide, including Canada's Jazz Aviation and North Cariboo Air, India's SpiceJet, Japan Air Commuter of Japan, Luxembourg's Luxair, Republic Airlines in the United States and Poland's Eurolot. To date the Smart Parts program for Q400 aircraft has grown to support over 100 aircraft. The pioneering Smart Parts program, initially developed for Bombardier's business aircraft, has been providing cost protection and budget predictability to customers for more than 25 years and currently supports approximately 1,200 aircraft.
About Air Cote d'Ivoire
Air Cote d'Ivoire started operations in November 2012 and serves 18 destinations in West and Central Africa. The airline is on target to transport 400,000 passengers in 2014. The airline is owned in part by the Government of Cote d'Ivoire (65 per cent), Air France (20 per cent) and private investor Goldenrod (15 per cent). News and information are available on www.aircotedivoire.com.
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 Montreal, 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, 2013, we posted revenues of $18.2 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Notes to Editors
Images of Q400 NextGen aircraft in Air Cote d'Ivoire's livery and photos from the ceremony held in Toronto 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, Dash 8, NextGen, Q-Series, Q400, Smart Parts and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Contacts:
Marianella de la Barrera
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft
+1-416-375-3030
marianella.delabarrera@aero.bombardier.com
www.bombardier.com
