Air Tahiti Orders 4 More ATR 72-600 At Farnborough International Airshow

Summary

  • Air Tahiti has ordered four ATR 72-600 aircraft, which should be delivered between 2025 and 2028.
  • With the Air Tahiti order, ATR has joined Airbus and Boeing in securing orders for aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow
  • As of July 23, Airbus and Boeing had secured 187 commitments for its aircraft.

ATR, the France-based regional turboprop aircraft manufacturer, has joined the fun at Farnborough International Airshow 2024, securing four orders for new aircraft from Air Tahiti.

Air Tahiti ordering four ATR 72s

In an announcement on July 24, ATR stated that Air Tahiti, the regional airline serving routes within Tahiti, French Polynesia, and nearby islands in the Pacific Ocean, has ordered four ATR 72-600 turboprops.

Air Tahiti ATR 72 landing shutterstock_646425160

Photo: KKulikov | Shutterstock

The order also included an eight-year global maintenance agreement (GMA) between the two parties.

ATR detailed that it should deliver the aircraft to Air Tahiti between 2025 and 2028, which, according to the manufacturer, highlighted the airline’s long-term vision and confidence in the plane maker’s aircraft.

Related

ATR Evolution: A History Of The Models And Plans For The Future

Tracing the history of the Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer.

Joint history spanning nearly four decades

The turboprop manufacturer highlighted that Air Tahiti has been a dedicated operator of ATR aircraft for nearly 40 years, with the ATR 42 and ATR 72s enabling the airline to provide essential connectivity to communities in Tahiti and its islands.

Air Tahiti took delivery of its first-ever ATR aircraft in 1987, an ATR 42-300, that was registered as F-ODUC. The aircraft was redelivered to Chalair Aviation in June 1997. DAT, a Denmark-based airline, has been operating the aircraft since December 2000, which was still active as of July 24.

Air Tahiti ATR 72 shutterstock_667484128

Photo: KKulikov | Shutterstock

Currently, the Faa’a International Airport (PPT)-based airline operates a fleet of two ATR 42-600, nine ATR 72-600, and a single De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter. The latter was wet leased from Zimex Aviation, ch-aviation data showed.

Edouard Wong Fat, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Air Tahiti, highlighted that the airline has been a cornerstone of Tahiti and its islands for more than 65 years, facilitating travel and ensuring a better quality of life for the islands’ inhabitants.

“By ensuring our communities have easy access to essential goods, services, and cultural experiences, we’ve also helped boost the local economy and tourism. The ATR fleet has been pivotal in these efforts and it will continue to enable us to offer reliable and responsible connectivity.”

Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, the CEO of ATR, added that Air Tahiti’s continued trust in the aircraft manufacturer’s products was a testament to ATR’s commitment to providing the most efficient, comfortable, and low-emission regional aircraft to its customers.

Laude continued that in French Polynesia, where air services are vital, they are an ideal choice for responsible travel. The region, which has the shortest and one of the longest flights with an ATR aircraft, highlighted the importance of ATR’s mission to support affordable regional mobility.

Related

Air Tahiti Gets A New ATR-72 With Polynesian Tattoos

For its 65th birthday, Air Tahiti has unveiled its latest Tattoo livery.

Joining Airbus and Boeing

Before the Air Tahiti order, during the Farnborough International Airshow, only Airbus and Boeing had announced orders at the event.

Qatar Airways Boeing 777-9 rendering-1

Photo: Boeing

At the end of day two of the industry show on July 24, the two aircraft manufacturers had accumulated 165 firm orders and 22 options, totaling 187 commitments for their products.

Related

Day 2 Round-Up: Farnborough International Airshow 2024

Boeing has remained in the lead for the total orders at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *