Flight International online news 09:00GMT: Horizon Air has dropped all but one of its eight remaining orders for Bombardier’s CRJ700-701 in favor of the Canadian manufacturer’s largest turboprop, the Q400.
Under the revised deal, Horizon Air has converted seven CRJ700 orders to Q400s and added orders for five more of the 70-seat turboprop.Horizon Air is scheduled to take delivery of the Q400s from the fourth quarter of 2006. Financial details are not being disclosed.
The move marks the end of Horizon’s order for CRJ700s once the single remaining regional jet is delivered in the first quarter 2006. It also reduces Bombardier’s backlog for the aircraft type by about 10%, which on September 30 stood at 66 CRJ700-701s and three CRJ700-702s.
“The addition of these aircraft will allow us to shore up our presence in our traditional markets and increase the proportion of larger, younger and more fuel-efficient aircraft in our fleet, which customers prefer,” says Horizon president and CEO Jeff Pinneo in a statement.
The carrier says it will “decide where to deploy the new aircraft closer to their delivery dates”, but notes that “several” of the aircraft will likely replace some of its Bombardier Q200s on high load factor flights.
A Bombardier spokesman says the order is “positive” for the Q400 and “reflects [Horizon’s] success with that aircraft”.
Horizon currently operates a fleet of 18 Q400s and 19 CRJ700s, in addition to 28 Q200s.
Source: Flight International
