Qantas has placed a firm order with Bombardier for seven Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners in a deal valued at $218 million based on list prices for the airplanes. The order adds to the 21 Q400s operated by QantasLink. The first new aircraft are due for delivery in the first half of 2011. Bombardier has booked firm orders for 385 Q400 NextGen aircraft including the Qantas order. The Canadian manufacturer has delivered 300 to date.

In its latest aircraft market forecast released yesterday, Bombardier predicted a market for 12,800 airliners in the 20- to 149-seat category worth $612 billion in the next 20 years. The manufacturer’s business jet forecast was equally bullish, forecasting demand for 26,000 business aircraft worth $661 billion in the same period. Bombardier’s business jet market forecast includes aircraft in segments Bombardier competes (light jet to large cabin).

The forecast foretells a shift in demand to larger regional airliners, predicting there will be 200 new aircraft sold in the 20- to 59-seat market, 5,900 in the 60- to 99-seat segment and 6,700 in the 100- to 149-seat segment. A key driver of growth, said Bombardier, will be the Chinese market, which is expected to become the world’s third largest for regional airliner sales behind the U.S. and Europe by 2029.