Healthy RJ order books March 2005

The US regional airline industry recorded 96.7bn ASKs, almost a 27% year–on–year rise for the nine months ending in September 2004, with a traffic rise of 31% to 65.9bn RPKs.

The resulting load factor is a two–point increase from the corresponding period in 2003 to 68.1%. The regionals' healthy growth serving secondary markets and picking up routes discarded by the major carriers, is particularly benefiting the RJ market, which now accounts for 53% of the commuter/regional fleet in the US.

Bombardier delivered 178 CRJs in the 2004/05 financial year that ended on January 31, a drop from 214 CRJs in the previous year. The larger CRJ700 and CRJ900 deliveries continue to rise and the only segment slowing down is 50–seat RJs.

Embraer delivered 134 RJs in 2004, it has said that it foresees a "more moderate market for 30–to–60–seat aircraft and "more growth" for 70–to–110–seat RJs. Growth in the larger RJ market is illustrated in the firm order backlog table below, the main players are the US regionals and the European exceptions to this trend are the downsizing Swiss and the Air France franchisee Regional Airlines.