Cityjet purchase of SAS’s Cimber prompts large aircraft order

Cityjet could buy up to 10 Bombardier aircraft worth €435 million as a result of its agreement to buy SAS subsidiary, Cimber.

The Irish airline said on Tuesday that it is buying Cimber, a Copenhagen-based carrier that flies regional services for its current owner, Scandinavian group, SAS.

As a result of the purchase Cityjet has ordered up to 10 Bombardier CRJ900 jets, the craft used by Cimber. SAS is also extending an existing contract under which Cityjet flies a number of routes for the group to six years from three.

Bombardier confirmed that the Irish airline signed a conditional order for six CRJ900s and has taken an option on a further four.

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“Based on the list price of the CRJ900 aircraft, the conditional order is valued at approximately $280 million and could increase to $467 million (€435 million), should CityJet exercise all its options,” Bombardier said.

Cityjet noted that Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast makes components for the CRJ900. The airline already owns eight such craft and its executive chairman, Pat Byrne said that it was "very satisfied" with their performance.

As a result of the Cimber takeover and the new deliveries, the airline will ultimately own 23 such craft. Bombardier vice president Ryan DeBrusk said that it would be Europe’s biggest customer for the CRJ900.

Under Cityjet's ownership, Cimber will continue to operate services from Copenhagen for SAS.

The Irish airline will fly services from Stockholm and Helsinki for the Scandinavian carrier under the arrangement begun last March and extended to six years.

Mr Byrne said that the purchase of Cimber and the new SAS contract advance “Cityjet’s stated strategy of building its role as a provider of regional jet capacity to airlines across Europe”.

Rickard Gustafson, SAS president and chief executive, said that the agreement would allow the airline to fly more routes and maintain a large network. It will add 200 people to Cityjet's workforce of 870.