Air Baltic Corporation (airBaltic) (Riga) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire 10 CS300 aircraft and take purchase rights on a further 10 CS300 jetliners.

Based on the list price of the CS300 airliner, a firm-order contract with the network carrier will be valued at approximately $764 million, and could increase to $1.57 billion should the 10 purchase rights be converted to firm orders.

According to the manufacturer, the CSeries is designed for the “growing 100- to 149-seat market, the 100 per cent new CSeries aircraft family combines advanced materials, leading-edge technology and proven methods to meet commercial airline requirements in 2013 and beyond. Powered by Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1500G engines, the CSeries aircraft family will offer a 15* per cent cash operating cost advantage and a 20* per cent fuel burn advantage. The CSeries aircraft’s clean-sheet design is ensuring that the aircraft will achieve greatly reduced noise and emissions, as well as superior operational flexibility, exceptional airfield performance and a range of 2,950 nm (5,463 km)*. The CSeries aircraft will be up to 12,000 lbs. (5,443 kg)* lighter than other aircraft in the same seat category and will provide passengers with a best-in-class, widebody cabin environment in a single-aisle aircraft.”

Including this announced LOI from airBaltic for 10 CS300 airliners and purchase rights for 10 CS300 airliners, as well as a conditional order for five CS100 and 10 CS300 jetliners placed by an unidentified customer earlier this week during the Farnborough Airshow, Bombardier has booked orders and commitments for 352 CSeries aircraft.

The CSeries aircraft order book also includes firm orders for 138 CSeries airliners from Braathens Aviation (five CS100 and five CS300 aircraft), Deutsche Lufthansa AG (30 CS100 aircraft), Korean Air (10 CS300 aircraft), Lease Corporation International Group (17 CS300 and three CS100 aircraft), PrivatAir (five CS100 aircraft), Republic Airways (40 CS300 aircraft), an unidentified major network carrier (10 CS100 aircraft), an unidentified European customer (10 CS100 aircraft) and a well-established, unidentified airline (three CS100 aircraft). The CSeries aircraft program has also booked options for 124 aircraft and purchase rights for 10 aircraft from these customers, as well as LOI’s for up to 30 CSeries aircraft from Ilyushin Finance Co, and for up to 15 CS300 aircraft from Atlasjet.

airBaltic: