The world’s biggest Boeing Business Jet operator, Royal Jet, is opening its doors to Airbus and Bombardier to challenge Seattle for a deal to replace its entire fleet by 2020.
The Abu Dhabi-based operator – which has six BBJs, together with two Gulfstream G300s and a medevac-configured Bombardier Learjet 60 – wants to confirm a deal with one of the three airframers in the first quarter of next year for seven aircraft, chief executive Shane O’Hare said at the show yesterday.
“We are talking to Boeing and Airbus about business jet versions of their new Max and Neo narrowbodies. Bombardier are also very keen to push a business jet version of the CSeries,” says O’Hare, who says the current BBJs will be sold between 2017 and 2020.
Royal Jet will also replace its G300s with “new or nearly new” G450s or G550s and acquire a new-generation Learjet.
Although Boeing, as incumbent, is likely to be in pole position to secure the contract for the big jetliners, winning the business would be a major coup for Airbus and especially Bombardier, which has not officially launched a business jet version of its new narrowbody. Swiss operator PrivatAir, however, signed last year for five CS100s in an all-business class configuration, with five options.
The Canadian airframer’s vice president of marketing for commercial aircraft Philippe Poutissou said at the show yesterday that Bombardier has no “specific conversion plan” for the CSeries, “but it is in our DNA to do that”.
Meanwhile, Royal Jet, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, has unveiled its new livery at the show, on a newly-refurbished BBJ – A6-AIN – on display on the static. The $12 million conversion was competed at Sabena Technics in Bordeaux, France.
Royal Jet is jointly owned by helicopter operator Abu Dhabi Aviation and the UAE’s royal flight service, the Presidential Flight.
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Source: Flight Daily News
