BAE Systems Leases Two Avro RJ85s to BA CityFlyer

Released on Thursday, October 18, 2007

Hatfield, UK - BAE Systems Regional Aircraft announced today at the European Regions Airlines Association Annual General Assembly in Athens that it has signed long-term leases with BA CityFlyer for two Avro RJ85 regional jets.

The two aircraft, (msns E2383 and E2385), are presently operating with Finnish airline Blue1 and will be delivered to BA CityFlyer in Spring 2008.

Announcing the new transaction today in Athens Steve Doughty, Vice President Sales & Marketing for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft said: " We are particularly pleased to have secured this new business with BA CityFlyer, especially as it reinforces the dominant role that the BAe 146/Avro RJ family enjoys at London City Airport where our aircraft accounts for 44 percent of daily scheduled departures and 62 percent of daily scheduled seats."

BA CityFlyer is a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Airways and operates all UK and European services to and from London City Airport (LCY) with a fleet of 10 Avro RJ100s. In March 2007 the airline introduced a 70 per cent increase in services from LCY and now operates 250 flights a week from the city centre business airport.

Services are flown to Edinburgh and Glasgow in the UK and to Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan Malpensa and Zurich on the Continent.

Peter Simpson, Managing Director of BA CityFlyer said today: "We are delighted to have secured these two high-demand RJ85s which will provide a better blend of economics and performance on our longer routes such as to Madrid."