The first of five new ATR 600s due under the $100 million contract signed at the Paris Air Show in July between the national flag carrier and Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) was delivered over the weekend – on time according to the contract timeline – and is expected to be unveiled at a ceremony tomorrow.
The new planes are intended to replace Bahamasair’s aging Dash 8-300 fleet. According to the contract, Bahamasair will receive three 50-seat ATR 42-600 and two 70-seat ATR 72-600 planes between November 2015 and June 2016. The first plane delivered on the contract is an ATR 72-600, and places Bahamasair among the newest operators of ATR.
Bahamasair Chairman Valentine Grimes touted the strong commonality between the 50-seat ATR 42s and the 70-seat ATR 72s as an important asset, as it will enable Bahamasair to “propose flexible capacity and optimized operating costs”.
“We are pleased to introduce an aircraft that has clearly proven worldwide that it perfectly fits the operational needs of airlines flying in island environments. The ability of the ATR aircraft to take off and land on short runways and to operate at small airfields, coupled with their most modern technologies and passenger appeal, are among the main reasons of our choice,” Grimes said. “We are glad to welcome our first brand new ATR and become a member of the ATR family.”
Meanwhile Patrick de Castelbajac, ATR chief executive officer, declared: “Indeed, the ATR aircraft have succeeded for years as the reference for inter-island regional flights. Our aircraft are particularly popular in the island environments where they are operated, as they are a necessary link to population and a key factor of tourism and business development. We are pleased to welcome Bahamasair among our list of customers.”
The ATR 72-600 has a passenger capacity of 68 to 78 seats, with Pratt & Whitney 127M engines and a maximum range with full passenger load of 900 nautical miles. According to a statement on the ATR website, the 70-seat ATR 72-600s are “the perfect solution” to bolster and complement the airline’s current Boeing 737 fleet, while the 50-seat ATR 42-600s are very well adapted to connect the Bahamas islands.
“The family commonality between the ATR 42s and ATR 72s represents a clear advantage for the airline, as it allows operating its fleet optimally, while minimizing operating costs. The ATR -600 series aircraft perfectly match the requirements of the airlines operating inter-island flights. Today, ATRs successfully fly in many island environments, including the Caribbean, French Polynesia and the South Pacific, the Philippines, the Canary Islands, Indonesia and Malaysia,” ATR said.
The introduction of these brand new ATR ‘-600s’ will enable Bahamasair to upgrade and modernize its regional aircraft fleet, both on regional and domestic routes. The partial replacement of the airlines’ former regional aircraft fleet with ATR 72-600s will also provide additional seat capacity on some main routes to and from Nassau.
Bahamasair Chairman Valentine Grimes (left) accepts the keys for a new ATR 72-600, marking the delivery of five planes ordered on a $100 million contract. Pactrick de Castelbajac, ATR chief executive (right) right over the keys. (Source: Nassau Guardian | Photo: ATR)
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