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Bombardier showcases first two CRJ1000 regional jets

Dec. 14, 2010, Mirabel, Que. - Bombardier Aerospace today showcased the first two CRJ1000 NextGen regional jets destined for launch customers, Air Nostrum of Valencia, Spain and Brit Air of Morlaix, France.


December 14, 2010  By Carey Fredericks

During a celebration at Bombardier's Mirabel, Quebec facility, where the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft are manufactured, the two airplanes sat side by side in the livery of the two long-time Bombardier customers.

The delivery teams from both launch customers joined in the celebration. Air Nostrum's contingent was led by Miguel Angel Falcon, General Manager, Air Nostrum, while Marc Lamidey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brit Air, led his airline's team. Several of Bombardier's senior executives and employees, as well as suppliers, union representatives and media, also attended the event.

Air Nostrum has been a Bombardier customer since 1998 and has ordered 19 Q-Series turboprops and 81 CRJ Series regional jets. Brit Air joined the Bombardier family in 1994 and has ordered 49 CRJ Series jetliners. Brit Air was also the launch customer for the CRJ700 regional jet.

"The introduction of the CRJ1000 NextGen regional jet is yet another example of our innovation, inspiration and ingenuity," said Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. "In the span of only 25 years, Bombardier Aerospace has become the third largest manufacturer of civil aircraft in the world, and all of us at Bombardier take enormous pride in the fact that every three seconds, somewhere in the world, a Bombardier aircraft is either taking off or landing."

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Both Mr. Lamidey and Mr. Falcon based their positive expectations for the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft on their experience with Bombardier's smaller regional jets. "Their cost of operation, reliability, wide passenger acceptance and ability to offer seamless connection to Air France/KLM mainline flights are all major plusses," said Mr. Lamidey. "The larger CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft can only help to enhance these competitive advantages by helping to reduce our expenses through lower seat-mile costs while increasing passenger comfort and providing high quality, efficient, and cost effective point-to-point service."

Brit Air has said that it plans to deploy its first CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft on the Lyon-Rome sector during the upcoming holiday season.

"The accolades Air Nostrum has received yearly since our start-up in 1994 are a testament to our operational expertise, customer satisfaction and the performance and reliability of our fleet of more than 60 Bombardier aircraft," said Mr. Falcon. "We are very excited about putting the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft into revenue service, and we believe our passengers will fully enjoy this aircraft."

"We highly value our relationships with Air Nostrum and Brit Air – two leading European regional airlines," said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Air Nostrum and Brit Air's deployment of CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft as launch customers is a testament to the success they have experienced with other Bombardier regional aircraft."

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