Lufthansa signs LOI for new Bombardier CSeries

Mumbai, Jul 14: Leading German airline, Lufthansa has signed a 2.8 billion dollars Letter of Interest (LOI) for up to 60 of Bombardier's new CSeries commercial aircraft.

The new aircrafts carry a list price of 46.7 million dollars each has been specifically designed for the 100 to 149 seat commercial aircraft market category, estimated to be worth over 250 billion dollars in the next twenty years with 6,300 aircraft, a statement said on Monday, July 14. The CSeries will feature a host of technological advancements, including increased use of composites and aluminium lithium structure, new-generation Pratt and Whitney Geared TurbofanTM, fly-by-wire, and fourth-generation aerodynamics.

''Our initial evaluations of the CSeries family of aircraft and discussions with Bombardier over the last few months have made us believe that the aircraft meets our requirements for sustainable fleet development, both in terms of environmental and commercial requirements,'' Lufthansa Senior Vice President (Corporate Fleet) Nico Buchholz said.

''The CSeries consumes as little as two-litres of fuel per passenger at maximum capacity. These aircrafts emit up to 20 per cent less CO2 and up to 50 per cent less NO2, fly four times quieter, and deliver up to 20 per cent fuel burn advantage as well as up to 15 per cent improved cash operating costs versus current in-production aircraft of similar size,'' Bombardier Commercial Aircraft president Gary Scott said.

The Bombardier CSeries are expected to hit the skies in 2013, the statement added.

UNI