According to reports, Republic Airways has just recently signed a new deal to purchase 40 Bombardier CS300 jets. The deal gives them an option to purchase an additional 40 if they deem it necessary.

The first of these 40 jets is scheduled for delivery during the second quarter of 2015. Bombardier said that the total purchase price of the first 40 jets is about $3.1 billion. The total value of the contract, if the full option is exercised, is about $6.3 billion.

Republic Airways, which is based in Indianapolis, currently has 283 aircraft in its fleet. The airline operates a maintenance hub at Louisville International Airport. The Indianapolis-based communication manager for Republic Airways, Carlo Bertolini, said that the company decided to purchase the jets, because they are more economical and efficient than a lot of the handicrafts in the current fleet.

He went on to say that company officials have not determined which airline or routes the new jets will be assigned to. The decision, he said, would be made a lot closer to 2015. Right now, since it is not yet known how many aircraft are going to be bought its hard to have any idea of what routes they would go to.

Republic is the parent company of Chautauqua Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Lynx Aviation, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America. The company operates about 1,600 flights daily to 118 cities in 44 states. The company is also a contract carrier for American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Air Lines and US Airways. Overall, this is one group that is very involved in the whole aviation industry.