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ATR
has signed a contract for the purchase of two ATR 72-500s that will be operated by Thailand’s Bangkok Airways. The deal is valued at
US$ 37 million and has been inked with Irish-based leasing company AIR Ltd (Aircraft International Renting), a subsidiary of TAT Group,
which will lease the aircraft to the airline. With these two aircraft, Bangkok Airways will bring its ATR 72-500 fleet up to 10 aircraft. Deliveries
of these two additional aircraft are scheduled for late 2008 and 2009.
The aircraft will be configured with 70 seats and will be used to increase the total capacity of the
airline's ATR fleet and help it meet increasing flight demand in Thailand and the surrounding region.
Bangkok Airways, which is celebrating this year its 40th anniversary, started operating ATR aircraft in 1994 and ordered their first ‘-500
series’ ATRs in 2000 and 2002. With the two additional aircraft, Bangkok Airways will become one of the largest ATR operators in
South East Asia.
Commenting on the deal, Dr. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, President and CEO of Bangkok Airways,
said, “We have been operating ATRs
for many years because they offer us optimal results in terms of performance and economics. We are also pleased to count such a strong
fleet of ‘-500’ ATRs, which are the most fuel-efficient and environment friendly aircraft of the regional aviation. The preservation and care of
the environment is a major concern for us.”
Stéphane Mayer, ATR CEO,
said, “We are delighted with our strong commercial success in South East Asia in the last months. Since
late 2007, we have booked orders for more than 40 new aircraft in that region. This success underlines the suitability of the ATRs for the
regional operations, because of their ability to connect small airports and to operate in extreme weather conditions.”
ATR reached in 2007 a record year with orders for 113 new aircraft. Since the beginning of the programme, ATR has sold 953 aircraft (417
ATR 42s and 536 ATR 72s) and has delivered 763 (397 ATR 42s and 366 ATR 72s), thus posting a current backlog of 190 aircraft.
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