Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Porter Airlines of Toronto has signed a firm order to acquire four Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners and has taken options on an additional six Q400 NextGen aircraft.

Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen aircraft, Porter’s firm order is valued at approximately $120 million US, which could increase to $308 million US should all six options be converted to firm orders.

The four aircraft will increase Porter’s fleet of Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft to 24. Porter took delivery of its 20^th aircraft, and the 300^th Q400 aircraft to be delivered, in April 2010.

Porter began operations in October 2006 with flights to Ottawa and now serves 14 destinations in Canada and the U.S.

“Bombardier’s Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft’s quiet comfort, fuel-efficiency and lower environmental footprint help us to deliver on our ‘flying refined’ brand promise, and they continue to be the ideal aircraft for our operations based at the urban Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport,” said Robert Deluce, President and Chief Executive Officer, Porter Airlines.

“Porter Airlines is one of Canada’s airline success stories, and more importantly, Porter has succeeded in the face of challenging economic conditions, proving that with the right aircraft and a devotion to quality passenger care, adverse economic conditions can be overcome,” said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. ”The Q400 and Q400 NextGen airliners are also a global success story, and this additional order is a testament to their reliability and operational flexibility.”

Optimized for short-haul operations, the 70- to 80-seat Q400 NextGen aircraft is a large, fast, quiet and fuel-efficient turboprop. It provides an ideal balance of passenger comfort and operating economics with a reduced environmental footprint. Including Porter’s order, Bombardier has booked firm orders for a total of 389 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft, and as of April 30, 2010, 300 had been delivered. The aircraft are in service with 30 operators worldwide.

Source and photo: Bombardier Aerospace