Delta Closes Largest RJ Order Ever

Delta Air Lines' regional airline subsidiary has finalized its agreement to acquire up to 500 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets -- the largest regional jet order to date.

The agreement includes firm orders for 104 CRJs worth $2.2 billion, including ten options hardened since the deal was first announced in March. Delta Connection retains options for 396 additional CRJ aircraft.

The new jets will be divided between Comair and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, two Delta Connection regional feeders based in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, respectively.

The firm orders include 25 70-seat CRJ700s, and 79 CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft with a mix of 40, 44, and 50 seats. Bombardier says the 40- and 44-seat CRJs will be identical to the 50-seat variant, but with fewer seats.

Bombardier says the additional ten orders finalized since the deal was first disclosed are for "a mixture of 40, 44 and 50-seat CRJs."

Deliveries of the firm-ordered aircraft will begin in December 2000 and end by November 2004. The options, if exercised, have delivery dates stretching out until 2010.

ASA and Comair together have firm orders for 291 CRJs, 132 of which have been delivered. The total includes 32 CRJ700 and 24 CRJ100/200 aircraft from previous orders.

By Paul Richfield