TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/17/13 -- Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Australia's largest domestic and international airline, Qantas Airways Limited has placed a firm order for three Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners. Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the contract is valued at approximately $98 million US.

Qantas will use the aircraft to strengthen its extensive network in the Australian domestic market. The Q400 aircraft has been vital to Qantas' rapid expansion in regional Australia over the past five years.

This order will increase to 31 the number of Q400 and Q400 NextGen airliners operated by Qantas. The airline also operates two Bombardier Dash 8-200, three Q200 and 16 Q300 aircraft.

"Qantas is a valued and long-time Bombardier customer and has undoubtedly contributed much to the Q400 aircraft's success and popularity in Australia," said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Qantas has once again decided to go with the Q400 NextGen turboprop, and this is a testament to the aircraft's unmatched economics, reduced fuel burn and low operating costs."

With the transaction announced today, Bombardier has taken firm orders for a total of 463 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft. Worldwide, Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft have transported more than 243 million passengers and have logged over 3.8 million flight hours and more than 4.1 million take-offs and landings in service with more than 40 operators. Over 300 Bombardier commercial aircraft are operating in, or have been ordered for, the Asia-Pacific region.

About Q400 NextGen aircraft

The Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner, which is built at Bombardier's Toronto, Ontario facility, is the most recent development in the evolution of the Q400 aircraft, and the advanced successor to Bombardier's Dash 8/Q-Series family of aircraft. Optimized for short-haul operations, the "comfortably greener," 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.

About Bombardier

Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3 billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Note to editors

Images of Q400 NextGen aircraft in Qantas' livery are posted with this press release at: www.bombardier.com. Additional information on the Q400 NextGen aircraft is available at: www.q400nextgen.com.

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Bombardier, Dash 8-200, NextGen, Q200, Q300, Q400, Q-Series and The Evolution of Mobility and are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.