Canary Islands Airline Adds ATR 72-500s

ATR and Canary Islands airline NAYSA announced Thursday the signing of a contract for two additional new ATR 72-500s, valued at $36 million in US dollars. The order is in addition to the four ATR 72-500s NAYSA ordered signed for in September 2006.

The two new aircraft, configured with 72 seats, will be delivered in 2007 and will be equipped with ATR's "Elegance Cabin," sporting LED cabin lighting and the latest communications and navigation equipment.

"We are really happy to strengthen our partnership and our ties with NAYSA, as well as with the group Apoyo y Logistica Industrial Canarias," said ATR CEO Filippo Bagnato. "The ATR aircraft, with its unbeatable economics, its high standards of comfort as well as with its lowest level of pollutant emissions, are fully adapted to the needs of the interisland operators and the ATR 72-500 has been very successful for many years in the Canary Islands."

Manuel Alvarez, General Manager of NAYSA, added "We are fully confident in the quality and the performance of the ATR aircraft, which represents the optimal choice for our interisland operations. The ATR 72 has proven itself over many years of successful operations in the Canary Islands. Furthermore, the latest generation of ATR aircraft will allow us to fly with environment friendly aircraft characterized by the lowest operating costs and provide jet-like comfort to our passengers. These were key points in our decision to add more new ATR 72-500 to our fleet."

NAYSA currently flies 19-seat Beech 1900 aircraft. NAYSA plans to use its new planes to develop its existing commercial agreement with Binter Canarias on some interisland connections.

ATR has sold 839 new aircraft (401 ATR 42 and 438 ATR 72 planes) since the beginning of the program.

FMI: www.atraircraft.com, www.naysa.es/en/pagina.php