Aerolineas Mesoamericanas, “ALMA of Mexico”, has signed lease agreements for six previously owned 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets with deliveries scheduled to commence in June 2006. ALMA is the first Mexican airline to operate commercial Bombardier aircraft. Two aircraft will be leased from Canadian Regional Aircraft Finance Transaction No. 1 Limited (CRAFT) and four from General Electric Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS).

The leases were signed by Guillermo Heredia, President and Founder of ALMA, during a brief ceremony attended by representatives from Bombardier Aerospace.

“Given the type of city populations and stage lengths that ALMA will be servicing, the CRJ200 aircraft represents the ideal solution, both from a capacity and economic perspective, to provide point-to-point connections and develop new routes between cities in Mexico. I am pleased that ALMA can now commence operations as a full-service regional airline with its CRJ200 fleet,” said Mr. Heredia who has extensive background experience in the aviation sector in Mexico.

“We are delighted that ALMA of Mexico has selected the CRJ200 regional jet to commence its flying operations. We believe that emerging markets will continue to require the outstanding economics and performance of previously owned CRJ200 aircraft and that these aircraft will continue to be vital assets for today’s regional airlines,” said Rod Sheridan, Vice-President, Asset Management Group, Bombardier Regional Aircraft.

ALMA of Mexico is a new start-up regional airline based in Guadalajara that will serve domestic point-to-point routes within Mexico with its newly acquired fleet of CRJ200 regional jets. The airline will start operations with a fleet of eight aircraft in its first year and expects to grow to 35 units by its fifth year. ALMA of Mexico anticipates carrying more than half a million passengers in its first 12 months of service.
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