Flybe’s Q400 fleet will increase to 60 airplanes

Bombardier Aerospace announced that Exeter, England-based Flybe has signed a contract to acquire 15 additional Bombardier Q400 high-speed turboprop airliners. In addition, Flybe has taken options on 15 Q400 aircraft. The value of the firm orders, based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft is approximately $394 million. Flybe became Europe’s largest regional airline on March 5, 2007 when it acquired BA Connect from British Airways. With that acquisition, Flybe will operate 152 routes from 22 airports in the U.K. and 34 in Europe. Flybe is already the operator of the world’s largest Q400 fleet; deliveries of the 15 firm-ordered aircraft, along with those previously ordered, will increase the fleet to 60 aircraft. The transaction increases firm orders for the Q400 aircraft to 245. As of January 31, 2007, Bombardier had delivered 143 of these airliners to operators in Africa, the Asia Pacific region, Europe, the Middle East and North America.