Geneva-based PrivatAir has placed a firm order for five CS100 airliners and has taken options on an additional five.

"After studying the Bombardier CSeries intently for the last four years, we finally decided to place an order for this versatile and cost efficient aircraft in January, at the Bahrain air show," said Greg Thomas, president and ceo of PrivatAir.

"We have not yet finalised the exact utilisation and hence configuration of our units, since the first will not be delivered until June 2014.

"The CS100 jetliner is very well suited for our route expansion plans and we look forward to introducing this very modern aircraft into our fleet."

Based on the list price for the CS100 aircraft, the firm order contract is valued at approximately US$309 million, and could increase to US$636 million if the five options are exercised.

PrivatAir was founded more than 30 years ago and operates a large fleet of commercial and business aircraft to provide private charter and private airline services.

Its services include exclusively business class flights on behalf of several major network airlines. The CSeries aircraft acquired by PrivatAir will be delivered in an all-business class configuration.