TORONTO — Bombardier Aerospace has won a US$773-million order from SkyWest Inc. of St. George, Utah, to supply 22 more regional jets.
The deal for 18 CRJ700 NextGen jets and four CRJ900 NextGen jets includes 22 options that SkyWest can apply to either aircraft, Montreal-based Bombardier Inc. said Friday.
It's the first order for CRJ NextGen aircraft by SkyWest, which through its SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines subsidiaries, already operates the world's largest CRJ fleet, with 363 aircraft.
Its fleet includes 244 CRJ200, 102 CRJ700 and 17 CRJ900 regional jets.
The CRJ700 NextGen aircraft, with 66 seats in a three-class configuration, will be operated under SkyWest's United Express banner, while the four CRJ900 NextGen jets, with 76 seats in a two-class arrangement, will be operated under SkyWest's Delta Connection banner.
''We are very excited to have SkyWest become the 12th customer to select the CRJ NextGen aircraft since the program was launched in May,'' said Steven Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft, with operations based in Toronto.
The order ''builds on operational efficiencies and aircraft reliability that SkyWest has enjoyed for 15 years as a CRJ U.S. launch customer,'' said Jerry Atkin, chairman and CEO of SkyWest Inc.
Including this transaction, Bombardier has recorded firm orders for 1,623 CRJ Series aircraft. As of Oct. 31, 1,452 of them had been delivered to operators around the world.
Bombardier is a global manufacturer of transportation products, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 were US$14.8 billion.