Yunnan Airlines Orders Six Bombardier's Regional Jets

Canadian Bombardier Inc. Beijing Office confirmed Saturday that Yunnan Airlines has ordered six 50-seat CRJ200 regional jets worth 138 million U.S. dollars.

The jets will be delivered between October 2001 and December 2002.

Robert E.Brown, president and chief executive officer of Bombardier Inc., said, "We are delighted that more and more Chinese airlines are selecting our products to meet their requirements."

Regional jets refer to those with less than 100 seats and a flight distance of under 1,000 kilometers. The regional air market has been the fastest growing section of the Chinese air passenger transport field in the last few years.

It is predicted that the regional air passenger transport industry will see an annual growth rate of some 10 percent in the next five years, with its transportation capacity reaching 10 million by 2005. Its market share in the air transport field will increase from the current 12 percent to 26 percent by the year 2019. China is expected to need 400 regional airplanes in the next two decades.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has decided to invest 6.5 billion yuan (about 780 million U.S. dollars) to build six airports in the country's northwestern region over the next five years to help with economic development there.

U.S. Boeing, European Air Bus Industries, Brazil Airlines and Bombardier Inc. all hold a positive attitude towards China's regional air market future. "The Asia Pacific region, with China in particular, has been playing an increasingly important role in the world's regional air market," Brown said.

Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and service corporation, is composed of five subsidiary companies. Its Bombardier Aerospace is the world's third-largest manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft and amphibians.

Shandong Airlines contracted to purchase Bombardier's four Challenger 604 business jets on February 13. Now a total of 14 Bombardier's regional jets are serving Chang'an Airlines, East China Airlines and Shandong Airlines.






People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/