CANADIAN aerospace giant Bombardier has announced a potential £1.7 billion order for its Belfast-built C Series jets.
The manufacturer, which employs almost 5,000 people in Northern Ireland, has announced it has secured a firm order for 12 CS300 aircraft from Egypt Air, with the option for a further dozen.
If EgyptAir exercises its option to buy all 24 aircraft it would represent a deal worth almost £1.7 billion. The major announcement was made yesterday at the Dubai Air Show, with both firms signing a letter of intent they hope opens a new chapter in the relationship between the two companies.
Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, said he was "thrilled" Egypt Air has chosen the CS300 to renew its fleet.
“Bombardier’s 20-year market outlook foresees demand for 450 airplanes in the 60- to 150-seat category for the region and this letter of intent confirms the need for right-sized aircraft in the Middle East. We are confident that our small single-aisle C Series is ideally-suited to serve the hot temperature environments of the region and will undoubtedly provide performance and economics that will drive higher profitability.”
Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir, Safwat Musallam said the CS300 aircraft fits perfectly into the company's business plans and growth strategy.
"We look forward to expanding our network with the CS300 and we are happy to see that the partnership announced with Airbus will bring added support to the C Series programme.”
Just last month European firm Airbus acquired a majority stake in Bombardier’s C-Series aircraft programme, lifting some of the pressure on the 1,000 people in Belfast directly employed manufacturing wings for the planes.
Earlier this month an unnamed European aviation customer signed a letter of intent to buy as many as 61 of Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft in a potential £3 billion deal. The company has placed a firm order for 31 planes, with the purchase rights for a further 30.
