John Travolta new 'brand ambassador' for Bombardier

Actor John Travolta has signed up to promote Bombardier's Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets as a "brand ambassador."

The world's largest business aircraft manufacturer says the actor and producer recently added a pre-owned Challenger 601 aircraft to the 11 different jets he's qualified to fly.

The Oscar-nominated actor also owns a Learjet 24 and previously owned a small Canadair De Havilland plane.

"Business aviation has always made sense to me in that it offers flexibility, privacy, security, and most importantly, timesavingmeaning I have the ability to keep up with my busy schedule and have more time for my family, which is very important to me," he stated in a news release.

Travolta, 57, starred in Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978) and Urban Cowboy (1980) and continues to make movies.

The other brand ambassadors for Bombardier include classical pianist Lang Lang, conductor Valerie Gergiev and former astronaut Eugene Cernan.

Travolta also promotes Australia's Qantas Airlines and Breitling watches.

Bombardier spokeswoman Danielle Boudreau declined to provide financial terms of Travolta's contract, but said he is familiar with the company's offering.

"He has been in Montreal to visit our manufacturing facilities and meet with some of our employees and hopefully he will be coming back soon," she said from Los Angeles.

Bombardier sells 11 models of business aircraft and has nine facilities around the world providing pilot and technical training on its planes.

The leading manufacturer of business and commercial planes, along with railway cars had US$17.7 billion of revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31.