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ATR Receives Tunisair Express Order

Tunisair Express has signed a firm order with ATR for three ATR 72-600s. The deal, worth $80.4m at list prices, will enable the North African regional airline to renew its modest fleet of two ATR 72-500s and a sole Bombardier CRJ-900 – all of which were acquired in the early part of 2011.

The turboprops will provide an additional two seats over their 70-seat -500 predecessors, but a loss of 16 seats when compared with the CRJ-900, which can accommodate up to 88 passengers.

The airline flies from its Tunis/Carthage base to four domestic destinations – Sfax, Djerba, Tozeur and El Borma. Internationally, it connects Tunis with Malta and the Italian cities of Naples, Catania, Palermo, Cagliari, Alghero and Comiso.

Yosr Chouari, Director General of Tunisair Express said: “We have had a long and strong partnership with ATR since the early 1990s, and we are pleased to introduce the modern ATR 72-600 into our fleet thanks to the support of the Tunisian Government and parent company Tunisair. We are sure that our passengers will greatly appreciate the modern, spacious cabin with its widest-in-class seats and the new cutting edge Cabinstream™ technology giving our passengers an exceptional on-board experience.”

ATR CEO, Stefano Bortoli, commented: “The decision of Tunisair Express for three new ATR 72-600s is a further endorsement of our product and validates our policy of continuous development. With a dispatch reliability of 99.7%, its effectiveness in hot conditions, and its performance perfectly suited to the operations envisaged by Tunisair, the ATR is the ideal aircraft to continue supplying essential connectivity throughout Tunisia and beyond its borders.”

The Franco-Italian manufacturer believes there is a demand for “350 new turboprops in Africa and the Middle East over the next 20 years”.

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First ATR 72-600 for Air Botswana

Air Botswana has accepted delivery of its newest ATR aircraft, A2-ABK (c/n 1433), as the airline continues efforts to bolster its fleet. The arrival follows an order placed for two ATR 72-600s in July, with the second example due to touch down in the African nation before the end of the year.

Management at the airline have opted for a 70-seat two-class configuration for the latest deliveries. Powering the new turboprops are Pratt & Whitney PW127N engines, equipped with a ‘super-boost’ option which the manufacturer says will allow a four-passenger payload benefit from popular ‘hot and high’ airfields such as Johannesburg/ O R Tambo and Maun.

Commenting on the delivery, CEO of Air Botswana, Agnes Tsholofelo Khunwana said: “We have been using ATRs for over 20 years and are very satisfied with their operating results. The latest generation of ATRs will allow us to provide the highest standards of comfort, reliability and eco-efficiency to our customers.”

ATR and Air Botswana representatives celebrate the arrival of the new aircraft. (Photo: ATR)

Stefano Bortoli, CEO of ATR, added, “Upgrading their [Air Botswana’s] fleet with 72-600s is a sign of confidence and we are very proud of that. With over 120 ATR aircraft flying in Africa, ATRs are the right aircraft for regional aviation in Africa, now and in the future, thanks to their unbeatable economics, eco-efficiency and comfort. ATR aims to play a major role in supporting local economies and social development for communities in Africa.”

The new models will complement the airline’s existing three ATR 42-500s and single ATR 72-500 based at their Gaborone/Sir Seretse Khama hub.

ATR has been particularly active in Africa in recent years, with the Toulouse-based company noting rising demand on the continent for its product portfolio. The firm has forecast that Africa and Middle East will need 300 new turboprops over the next 20 years.