The Dash 8-400, commonly called the Q400, is the largest and fastest variant of the Dash 8 family and the main competitor to the ATR 72 in the high-speed regional turboprop segment. The aircraft entered service with SAS in 2000 and seats 74 to 90 passengers, with a cruise speed that is significantly higher than the ATR 72 and approaches that of small regional jets. This speed advantage made the Q400 attractive to carriers operating longer regional routes where the extra speed justified the higher operating cost compared to the ATR. Major operators have historically included WestJet Encore, Flybe (now defunct), and various Asian and African regional carriers. Bombardier sold the program to Longview Aviation in 2019, which revived the De Havilland Canada name, but production has been paused since then. The type remains in service with hundreds of aircraft worldwide.