Air Littoral has signed a $133 million deal with Bombardier Aircraft for seven Regional Jets, with options on a further five. The Montpellier, France-based regional airline is also seriously evaluating the stretched 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-X regional jet.
All seven aircraft, which are in addition to the nine Regional Jets already operated by the airline, will be delivered this year, the first arriving in March, while the aircraft on option will arrive during 1998. Air Littoral has already taken delivery of ten AI(R) ATR 42-500s, as part of a 1996 15-aircraft order, in exchange for its old ATRs and Embraer Brasilias, with a further five remaining to be delivered.
Air Littoral is self-financing 8% of the Regional Jet order. The first four aircraft will be purchased through a 13-year lease-finance deal involving a French banking consortium led by Caisses d'Epargne. Financing for the rest has been arranged through a consortium of US and Canadian banks, together with Bombardier.
Delivery of the remaining ATR 42-500s will end Air Littoral's fleet-renewal programme. The airline's president, Marc Dufour, confirms, however, that the new 70-seat CRJ-X is "-being studied very carefully-we will almost certainly need a larger aircraft as our route system develops".
Dufour adds that Air Littoral is looking for a partner airline among the European majors, with Air France a favoured option, although he points out that there are "several other interesting possibilities".
Air Littoral saw an improvement in its financial performance in 1995/6, with turnover growing from Fr778 million ($155 million)in 1994/5 to Fr 977 million, and net profit moving into the black, at Fr8.6 million, against a loss of Fr8 million the previous year.
Source: Flight International
