Aircraft

US consolidation may open market for Bombardier 100-seaters

By Mary Kirby

Bombardier is confident that consolidation among US majors will drive renegotiation of pilot scope clauses, opening up an opportunity to place 100-seat aircraft at their regional partners.

“In the medium-term, the relaxation of pilot scope clauses appears to be trending from 50-seat aircraft toward 100-seat aircraft. These changes will progressively affect the regional airline industry over the next few years,” said Bombardier VP, strategy and business development Mairead Lavery yesterday at the airframer’s pre-Farnborough briefing in Belfast.

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines are leading US airline merger activity. Each boasts regional feeders with significant CRJ fleets.

While not addressing these mainline operators specifically, Bombardier Business Aircraft president Steve Ridolfi says he believes that 100-seaters will be operated by US regionals as early as next year “as some of our customers take CRJ1000 into their fleets”.

To date, Bombardier has secured orders for 39 CRJ1000s. None are US operators.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news