Bombardier delivered the first Q400 in a new extra-capacity seating configuration to Thailand’s Nok Air, the companies announced in late August. The milestone 86-seat aircraft arrived in Bangkok under the terms of a purchase agreement signed in November last year for up to eight Q400s. The airline now holds firm orders for six of the big turboprops and retains purchase rights on another two.

Bombardier claims the extra-capacity Q400 provides an operating seat cost advantage of as much as 17 percent compared with what it calls its closest competitor, the ATR 72-600. The Franco-Italian ATR carries 68 seats in standard configuration but high-density layouts allow for as many as 74.

Bombardier managed to squeeze another six seats into its Q400 by offering an option to convert the airplane’s forward baggage door into a passenger exit and rearranging galley and wardrobe space. The new interior replaces cargo capacity with as much as another row and a half of passenger seats installed with a 29-inch pitch. The company also offers a 30-inch-pitch, 82-seat layout.