RwandAir Places Firm Order for Dual-Class Bombardier Q400 NextGen Airliner

 Bombardier Aerospace and RwandAir of Kigali, Rwanda announced today that RwandAir has signed a firm purchase agreement for one Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner.

Based on the list price of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the order is valued at approximately $33 million US.

"As demand for domestic and regional travel in Africa accelerates, our 67-seat, dual-class Q400 NextGen aircraft will ensure RwandAir is well positioned to offer increased capacity on popular routes that are being opened and serviced with our 37-seat Bombardier Dash 8-200 aircraft," said John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir. "The Q400 NextGen turboprop is the right aircraft to develop our domestic and regional market and to firmly support RwandAir on our path towards growth and increased profitability. We are also complementing our new dual-class Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen regional jets by offering similar cabin amenities on the Q400 NextGen aircraft, providing for a seamless passenger service between the two aircraft models and aligning our total fleet strategy towards a unified passenger experience. We are developing the RwandAir brand and we are gaining momentum in the region through selection of the right aircraft and right services for our growing market."

"As one of our newest and fast-growing customers, RwandAir is serving Africa's expanding domestic and international markets and we are delighted that the carrier has yet again chosen Bombardier aircraft to further develop its network of short- and medium-haul destinations," said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "The Q400 NextGen turboprop has proven its capability and flexibility in many regions of the world and is operating in diverse environments. We anticipate that it will serve RwandAir and its customers very well."

RwandAir will become the 12th operator of Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft in Africa, and its Q400 NextGen aircraft will join more than 40 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft that are already in service with, or have been ordered by, 11 operators in nine countries in Africa.

With the transaction announced today, Bombardier has taken firm orders for 468 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 in over 30 countries on five continents.

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 RwandAir

Operating from Kigali as its hub in the heart of Africa, RwandAir is the fastest growing airline on the African continent. RwandAir's fleet currently consists of four Boeing 737 series aircraft and one Bombardier Dash 8-200 turboprop. Two brand new Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen regional jets arrived in November 2012. RwandAir serves domestic destinations and many regional cities such as Nairobi, Entebbe, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, and Kilimanjaro. The airline also serves Johannesburg, Dubai, Lagos, Libreville and Brazzaville. Service to Accra, Douala and Juba will start soon. The Q400 NextGen aircraft will be replacing the Dash 8-200 aircraft. Follow us on Twitter @RwandAir1 and website rwandair.com.

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, 2012, we posted revenues of $16.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Notes to editors

Images of Q400 NextGen aircraft in RwandAir's livery are posted with this press release at www.bombardier.com.

Additional information on the Q400 NextGen aircraft is available at www.q400nextgen.com.

Follow @Bombardier_Aero on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from Bombardier Aerospace.

Bombardier, CRJ900, Dash 8, NextGen, Q400, Q-Series and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

Contacts: Marc Duchesne Bombardier Commercial Aircraft [e-mail] www.bombardier.com Robert Nsinga RwandAir Ltd +(250) 78-847 [e-mail]