Short-Haul Turboprop Airliner Deal Worth $200 Million

An agreement signed by European Turboprop manufacturer ATR and Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean Airlines Monday represents a firm order by the carrier to purchase nine ATR 72-600 aircraft. The order is reportedly worth $200 million, and deliveries will start in late 2011.

ATR 72-600 File Photo

The aircraft are configured with 68 seats and equipped with the new ATR -600 series avionics suite and with the new Armonia Cabin. With its fleet of brand new ATR 72-600s, this flag carrier will replace its current fleet of 5 Dash-8 300 aircraft, while adding new flights linking Trinidad and Tobago and surrounding destinations. In addition, several of the new ATRs will be operated in the route network of Air Jamaica, which was recently acquired by Caribbean Airlines.

ATR has today more than 160 aircraft in operation and on order with nearly 30 airlines in the Caribbean and Latin American region.

“The acquisition of the ATR 72-600s will allow Caribbean Airlines to continue to develop and improve the offering to our customers," said Captain Ian Brunton, Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Airlines. "The low operating costs and fuel consumption of the aircraft are particularly appealing and provide us with tremendous flexibility in adding frequencies and developing new markets in the regional sectors.”

Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, stressed the suitability of the ATR aircraft for the operating environment of the Caribbean and for the short-haul sectors in the region. “The Caribbean and Latin American area has been an important market for ATR and we see strong potential for further increase in the regional fleets and networks," he said. “We also see this agreement with Caribbean Airlines as an important step with great potential for further cooperation to expand our MRO and training resources in the region”.

FMI: www.caribbean-airlines.com, www.atraircraft.com