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Tag: fleet (Page 33 of 45)

ExpressJet Begins Assigning Crew to Chicago E175 Base

ATLANTA, Nov. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, began assigning pilots to its Embraer E175 aircraft base of operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in advance of a January 1, 2020 open. 

(PRNewsfoto/ExpressJet Airlines)
(PRNewsfoto/ExpressJet Airlines)

“Chicago’s size and central location makes it a highly desirable location for commuter pilots and locals alike,” said Scott Hall, Vice President of Flight Operations. “Opening the E175 crew base in Chicago is a natural outcome of ExpressJet’s growth trajectory.”

The E175 base will be in addition to ExpressJet’s existing ERJ145 pilot, flight attendant, and maintenance bases in Chicago. This is ExpressJet’s second E175 base, after the first base opened at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

About ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houstonand Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 100 aircraft, including the Embraer ERJ145 and 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and can choose the Aviate career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.

Alstom Begins Delivery of New Regional Trains to Veneto and Liguria in Italy

Alstom has delivered the first Coradia Stream “Pop” trains destined for operation in Italian regions of Veneto and Liguria. The trains are part of the framework agreement signed in 2016 between Alstom and Trenitalia for a total of 150 new medium-capacity regional trains. Veneto will receive a total of 31 trains, Liguria 15. Deliveries will continue at a rapid pace into 2020.

14 Coradia Stream trains are already in passenger service in Emilia Romagna, the first region to have placed a firm order under the 2016 agreement. 

The new trains are part of a wider relaunch plan initiated by Trenitalia (FS Italian Group) to develop regional transport. This plan foresees a total investment of around €6 billion for 600 new trains, lead to the renewal of 80% of the fleet within 5 years. Due to the number of trains and its value, it is an unprecedented project for Italy.

The Coradia Stream, dubbed “Pop” by the Italian customer, is a single-deck electric multiple unit (EMU) designed for regional lines. It represents the latest generation of the Coradia family of trains. It can transport 300 passengers seated, has a top speed of 160 km/h, and offers easy accessibility thanks to its low floor. Designed to be eco-friendly, Coradia Stream consumes 30% less energy than previous train generation. 

“Over the past 15 years, more than 412 regional trains have been designed, produced and put into commercial service by Alstom in Italy. To these figures, we will gradually grow the Pop fleet. We are proud to have been chosen by Veneto and Liguria, and to support Trenitalia in this major project to improve regional and intercity transport throughout the country,” said Michele Viale, Managing Director of Alstom in Italy and Switzerland.

The Coradia Stream trains are manufactured by Alstom in Italy. Project development, most of the manufacturing and certification are performed at Alstom’s site in Savigliano (CN). Design and manufacturing of the traction systems and other components takes place at the Sesto San Giovanni (MI), and the on-board signalling systems are delivered by the Bologna site.

Frontier Airlines Welcomes Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret to its Fleet

Low-fare carrier, Frontier Airlines, today, introduces the newest aircraft tail to its fleet, Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret. The addition of the Airbus A320neo aircraft, Wellington, grows Frontier’s fleet to 95 Airbus aircraft. The tail’s namesake calls attention to the town in Larimer County, Colorado and the local recovery efforts for one of the most endangered species in North America.

“We’re excited to welcome Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret to our fleet,” Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier Airlines said. “The animals on the tails of our aircraft are part of Frontier’s DNA and Wellington is a special addition to the fleet because of its connection to Colorado and its endangerment. As America’s Greenest Airline, we feel a great responsibility to support the efforts of the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them.”

“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come together on our journey to bring this species back from the brink of extinction,” said Noreen Walsh, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “This success is due in large part to the strength of our partnerships with states, local communities, tribes, ranching families, and now, Frontier Airlines.”

“On behalf of the town of Wellington I would like to say thank you to Frontier Airlines for choosing Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret as the animal on the tail of its newest aircraft”, Mayor of Wellington, Troy Hamman said. “It’s an honor for me as the town mayor of Wellington to help represent our black-footed ferret and an awesome airline such as Frontier.”

Black-footed ferrets are the only ferret native to North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, along with many partners, coordinates efforts to recover the species and monitor overall population health.

Frontier Airlines has partnered with the conservation center to support their efforts and call attention to endangered species. To learn more about the center and about black-footed ferrets, visit www.blackfootedferret.org.

Frontier operates 95 A320 family aircraft and has the largest A320neo fleet in the U.S., delivering the highest level of noise reduction and fuel-efficiency, compared to previous models. The use of these aircraft, Frontier’s seating configuration, weight-saving tactics and baggage process have all contributed to the airline’s average of 39% fuel savings compared to other U.S. airlines (fuel savings is based on Frontier Airlines 2018 fuel consumption per seat-mile compared to the weighted average of major U.S. airlines).

With over 150 new Airbus planes on order, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America. Frontier’s young fleet also ensures that the company keeps fares low and that customers will enjoy a pleasant and reliable experience flying with the airline.

SBB’s New Double-Deck Train is Getting Better and Better

  • Significant increase in reliability and ride comfort

The introduction of the new “FV-Dosto” double-deck long-distance train on the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) route network is making significant and measurable progress.  As the manufacturer Bombardier Transportation explained at its Swiss headquarters in Zurich, the reliability of the 25 trains available to the SBB has been increased by a factor of seven, and ride comfort has been substantially improved thanks to newly installed software. This and the train’s highly energy-efficient drive concept, also led to a significant improvement in punctuality on the routes operated with the FV-Dosto. With the help of software developed and adapted by Bombardier, it has been possible to reduce the previously noticeable vibrations, particularly in the upper decks of trains by up to 75 per cent, thereby substantially increasing ride comfort.

As Stéphane Wettstein, the Swiss Managing Director of Bombardier Transportation, explained, the technical reliability of the FV-Dosto trains used, once again significantly increased to 6,914 km of trouble-free operation in October. This corresponds to an improvement by a factor of seven over the last 11 months. Approximately 34 per cent of service disruptions are caused by operational and passenger-triggered incidents and accordingly affect the overall reliability of operations. Wettstein put the increase in the technical reliability of the trains down to the effectiveness of the agreed actions and the increasing mileage of the Dosto fleet, which has now covered a total of around 2.27 million kilometres. He is therefore confident that technical and operational reliability will continue to improve steadily. Since the timetable change in December 2018, around 75 per cent of the technical causes of disruptions have been eliminated.

Reliability and drive concept have a positive effect on punctuality

The greater reliability and increasing trouble-free availability of the trains also have a positive effect on the punctuality of the IR and IC services operated by the FV-Dosto. According to the surveys on the statistics website pünktlichkeit.ch, it is better in eastern Switzerland than in other parts of the country. This is not only due to higher reliability of the FV-Dosto trains, but also to their drive concept: unlike conventional trains, the FV-Dosto is not pulled or pushed by a locomotive, but driven by high energy-efficient and permanent magnet motors on the axles of the individual carriages. This allows long-distance trains to accelerate much faster, which positively contributes to timetable adherence.

Substantial improvement of ride comfort

In recent weeks, great progress has also been made in terms of ride comfort. With the new software installed in September 2019, it has been possible to eliminate the vibrations that used to be felt, mainly in the upper deck, to such an extent that some of them are now lower than in conventional double-deck trains. However, Stéphane Wettstein pointed out that, although Bombardier’s mechatronic bogies had been able to improve ride comfort, railway infrastructure, which also influences passengers’ level of comfort, has not gotten any better.

The technologically complex system for eliminating vibrations is based on stabilizing the carriage body in every driving situation, in such a way that the passenger feels less of the centrifugal forces in curves and changes of direction when passing over points than in conventional double-deck or tilting trains. While the ICN tilting train, which was also built by Bombardier as the consortium leader, tilts inwards in curves up to 7°, the FV-Dosto stays perpendicular to the track level. Together with the drive system and the pressure-tight carriage body, which prevents unpleasant pressure on the ears, especially when travelling through tunnels, this system is one of the major innovations of what is currently the world’s most modern long-distance train.

SBB already has 25 new trains

“The FV-Dosto is technologically a leading product in the industry in terms of its energy efficiency and the wide range of comfort it offers its passengers, even on a global scale – something Switzerland can be proud of, especially since important systems such as the traction or the bogies were developed in Switzerland and are largely manufactured in Switzerland,” says Swiss Managing Director of Bombardier Transportation Stéphane Wettstein.

Bombardier has now delivered a total of 25 of the FV-Dosto trains, which corresponds to SBB’s planning for the timetable change in 2019. By summer 2021, the entire fleet of (62) trains will have been delivered. The great public interest in the FV-Dosto has also prompted Bombardier to intensify communication regarding this high-tech train. The company has launched a website at swissdosto.ch which provides continually updated information on the introduction and operation of the train on the Swiss rail network.

Bombardier creates considerable value in Switzerland

Bombardier Transportation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of public transport vehicles, mainly rail vehicles. The company is headquartered in Montreal, Canada and employs around 40,000 people around the world. More than 100,000 Bombardier vehicles are in service worldwide, carrying some 500 million passengers every day. In Switzerland, Bombardier’s roots go back some 120 years; many of the famous Swiss railway manufacturers from Secheron and MFO to BBC, ABB and Schindler Waggonbau to SLM have been combined under Bombardier over the decades. Today, around 870 employees work for Bombardier in Switzerland, 340 of them at the headquarters and global development centre in Zurich and 530 at the Villeneuve (VD) plant. Numerous Swiss suppliers are also involved in the development and production of the FV-Dosto, and their order volume accounts for around 50 per cent of the total external investment volume of CHF 600 million for the (62) ordered trains. After all, Bombardier is not only the supplier of FV-Dosto for SBB, but also of locomotives, technical services and the BOMBARDIER FLEXITYtram, which is already being used successfully in Geneva and Basel and the first of which will also be handed over to the Zurich public transport operator VBZ on November 15, 2019.

IAG Ups Bet on Latin America with Air Europa Takeover

* Buys Air Europa for 1 bln euros

* To be funded by external debt

* Shares rise more than 2%

* To be run by Iberia CEO

* Regulators may set requirements -analysts

Nov 4 (Reuters) – IAG, the parent of British Airways and Spain’s Iberia, announced a 1 billion euro ($1.12 billion) takeover of Spain’s Air Europa to boost its presence on routes to Latin America and the Caribbean.

The deal follows a setback in Latin America for IAG after Chile’s Supreme Court ruled against a plan that would have allowed it to bolster cooperation with partners in the oneworld airlines alliance.

BA parent IAG ups bet on Latin America with Air Europa takeover
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary attends a Reuters Newsmaker event in London

Chile’s LATAM Airlines in September then announced it planned to leave the alliance, opting instead for a tie-up with SkyTeam member Delta Air Lines.

IAG shares initially rose more than 2% following the Air Europa takeover announcement but some analysts said IAG may have to shed routes in order to win regulatory approval.

IAG shares were up 1.2% at 1315 GMT.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said his company will ask the UK’s market watchdog to force IAG to make divestments as part of its Air Europa takeover, a deal he said would be bad for competition.

“Potential remedies, perhaps in the form of slot release or behavioural restrictions, may be required and these could impact the potential synergies,” an analyst at Liberum wrote in a note.

IAG also owns carriers Iberia Express, Level, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and Vueling.

“We are not convinced that having just another brand platform is the optimal move, and could see it potentially combining with Level, Vueling or potentially Iberia Express after some time,” analysts at Bernstein said.

FILE PHOTO: An Air Europa-branded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft is seen grounded at a storage area in an aerial photo at Boeing Field in Seattle

Air Europa serves 69 destinations, including long-haul routes to the Americas and the Caribbean. It had a fleet of 66 aircraft at the end of 2018.

Air Europa’s Spanish parent company Globalia earlier this year received authorisation from the Brazilian government to explore the possibility of flying domestic routes within Latin America’s largest economy.

It is unclear if that authorisation will remain with Globalia or be transferred to IAG.

Air Europa will initially keep its brand and as it gets integrated into the existing hub at Madrid it will be a standalone operation run by Iberia boss Luis Gallego, IAG said.

It will also withdraw Air Europa from the SkyTeam alliance once the deal is completed. Air Europa has a joint venture with Air France-KLM.

“This is of strategic importance for the Madrid hub, which in recent years has lagged behind other European hubs,” said Gallego, adding that Madrid had the potential to serve as a gateway between Asia and Latin America.

IAG said it expected the Air Europa deal, which will be funded through external debt, to close in the second half of next year and for it to add to its earnings in the first full year after the closure.

($1 = 0.8951 euros) (Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Andres Gonzalez in Madrid and Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo, editing by Patrick Graham and Jason Neely)

An Air Europa Boeing 737 airplane takes off at the airport in Palma de Mallorca

Helvetic Airways Receives its First Embraer E190-E2 Jet

Zurich, Switzerland, October 31st, 2019 – In ceremony held at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Helvetic Airways officially received its first E190-E2 jet from Embraer. The airline has a contract for a firm order of 12 jets of this model, and purchase rights for a further 12 E190-E2, with conversion rights to the E195-E2, bringing the total potential order up to 24 E-Jets E2s.

“As the only Swiss airline to operate Embraer aircraft, Helvetic Airways already stands out from the competition,” said Martyn Holmes, Vice President Europe, Russia & Central Asia, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “And, with our state-of-the-art E190-E2, it now has the perfect aircraft, in terms of environmental sustainability and to maximize the profitability of its flight operations.”

Helvetic Airways CEO Tobias Pogorevc is pleased to have achieved this milestone. “After more than eighteen intensive months,” he commented, “it’s a sense of accomplishment that we feel most today. With the E190-E2, Helvetic Airways is entering a truly new era. Our state-of-the-art twinjet will make us one of Embraer’s leading European operators. And it gives us just the modern and environmentally friendly aircraft we need to continue our development.”

This E190-E2 aircraft marks the start of Helvetic’s fleet renewal program. The purchase rights for a further 12 aircraft (E190-E2 or E195-E2) will enable Helvetic Airways to grow according to market opportunities. Helvetic Airways is configuring the E190-E2 in a single class layout with 110 seats and will deploy the aircraft on several domestic and international routes.

The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types that make up the Embraer E2 family of aircraft, developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 brings more flexibility with maximum range of up to 3,293 miles (5,300 km), about 621 miles (1,000 km) more than the first-generation E190.

The E190-E2 also generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs. It has the longest maintenance intervals with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.

Pilots of the first-generation E-Jets require only two-and-a-half days of training without the need for a full flight simulator in order to fly the E2, which decreases the training burden and saves both time and money for the airlines. The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with the closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety.

From the passenger’s perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.

Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers in 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.

Air Premia Announces Commitment for 5 Boeing 787 Jets

– New Korean carrier to bolster future fleet with five additional super-efficient 787-9 Dreamliners

HONG KONG, Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Air Premia today announced the Korean startup airline plans to buy five 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, following an agreement to lease three 787-9 jets from Air Lease Corporation earlier this year. Air Premia, which plans to launch operations in 2020 is poised to become South Korea’s second Dreamliner operator.

The commitment, valued at $1.4 billion at list prices, will be reflected on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website when it is finalized.

“This is an exciting decision for Air Premia as we look to deliver a world-class experience to our customers, while also operating the most fuel efficient fleet,” said Peter Sim, CEO of Air Premia. “With the 787-9’s superior fuel efficiency and range capabilities, this investment fits perfectly with our unique business model and will position Air Premia for sustainable long-term growth.”  

The 787-9 is a super-efficient widebody airplane that can fly 296 passengers in a standard configuration with a published range of 7,530 nautical miles (13,950 km). The Dreamliner model, powered by a revolutionary design and advanced engines, enables  airlines to reduce fuel use and emissions by 20 to 25 percent compared to previous airplanes. The combination of unrivaled fuel efficiency and long range capabilities of the 787-9 has helped airlines save more than 40 billion pounds of fuel and open more than 235 non-stop routes.

“We are honored to welcome Air Premia as Boeing’s newest customer. As new entrants in Asia continue to launch innovative business models and strategies for growth, we are excited that Air Premia have selected the 787-9 Dreamliner to power their future fleet,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “The super-efficient 787-9 is a perfect fit for this new hybrid airline. The market-leading economics and capabilities of the Dreamliner will enable Air Premia to offer the best-in-class service to its customers at competitive fares.”  

With its base at Seoul Incheon International Airport, Air Premia announced its plan to launch operations in September 2020. The carrier will initially operate regionally in Asia before expanding its network to Los Angeles and San Jose by 2021.

Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of Six New Airbus A321neo Aircraft with China Airlines

LOS ANGELES, October 24, 2019 – Today Air Lease Corporation (“ALC”) (NYSE: AL) announced long-term lease agreements with China Airlines (Taiwan) for six new Airbus A321neo aircraft.  The aircraft will deliver to the airline beginning in 2021 through 2022 from ALC’s order book with Airbus. 

“We are honored to have been chosen by China Airlines to provide their first six new A321neos in their single-aisle fleet transformation,” said John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President of Air Lease Corporation.  “The A321neo will provide significantly expanded capabilities which will benefit China Airlines and its passengers far into the future.”

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates.  Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law.  Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL)

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world.  ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions.  ALC routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the “Investors” section of ALC’s website at www.airleasecorp.com. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult the ALC website regularly for important information about ALC. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, ALC’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

About China Airlines

Founded in 1959, China Airlines employs more than 12,000 people worldwide and operates a fleet of 111 aircraft, making it the largest airline by size and frequency of service in Taiwan. China Airlines is also one of the 19 SkyTeam Alliance member airlines. China Airlines offers passengers access to an extensive global network of more than 14,500 daily flights to 1,150 destinations in 175 countries. China Airlines is continuing to promote superior aviation safety as well as eco-friendly, innovative and attentive services that provide travelers with the perfect travel experience. Recent major international and domestic awards received by China Airlines include: 7/7 Safety Rating from AirlineRatings in Australia, the Taiwanese civil aviation industry’s top “Golden Flyer Award,” “Best of the Best” Red Dot Award, iF Design Award, Good Design Award from Japan, “Best Airline of the Year,” “Best Airline in North Asia,” “Best Business Class Seat Design” and “Best Premium Economy” from the U.S.-based Global Traveler, “Top 10 Premium Business Class” and “Top 10 Economy Class” from the DesignAir, PAX International reader survey’s winner in the “Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier – Asia” category, and the APEX Award for Publication Excellence for the inflight magazine “Dynasty.”

Bombardier Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Germany’s First Automatic People Mover System

  • INNOVIA APM vehicles carry twelve million passengers annually at Frankfurt am Main Airport – with almost 100 percent reliability
  • The system’s 25-year anniversary corresponds with Fraport’s opening of Terminal 2
Bombardier’s Frankfurt team celebrating the 25th anniversary of successfully operating and maintaining the INNOVIA APM fleet at Frankfurt Airport.

Today, global mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation celebrates 25 years of fully automatic BOMBARDIER INNOVIA APM 100 people mover system’s operation at Frankfurt am Main Airport. The system and Fraport’s Terminal 2 opened on the same day 25 years ago. Since 1994, Germany’s first elevated passenger transport system called the SkyLine, has connected Terminals 1 and 2. With an average reliability of 99.83 percent, twelve million passengers and guests per year safely and comfortably arrive at their destinations in the terminals – around the clock.

“We’d like to congratulate our customer on this quarter century anniversary. We have a very successful and long-standing partnership with Fraport, which marks our joint success in moving millions of travelers between terminals at the Frankfurt Airport,” said Michael Fohrer, Head of Bombardier Transportation Germany.

“Fraport benefits from a high-performing turnkey transit system, which was not only manufactured by Bombardier, but also operated and maintained. I am grateful to all our committed and competent employees, without them this milestone would not have been possible,” emphasized Alexander Ketterl, Head of Sales and Delivery German cities at Bombardier Transportation.

Volker Maul, Head of the Bombardier team at Frankfurt Airport, can look back on the people mover system’s 25 years of service. “The excellent cooperation within our team and with our customer built the foundation for the system’s near 100 percent reliability. Bombardier’s operations and maintenance program is carefully designed to optimize system performance and ensure potential problems are identified and resolved before the service’s efficiency is compromised,” he explained.

Fraport’s fleet of 18 INNOVIA vehicles transport around thirty-five thousand passengers daily, on the 3.8 km route between departure terminals. During peak times, the trains depart every 90 seconds with each wagon carrying up to 60 passengers and their luggage.

In 1994, Fraport was the first German customer to invest in Bombardier’s driverless system, installed with the proven BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 550 signaling system. CITYFLO delivers the highest levels of safety while meeting customer demand for flexible, high-performance and cost-effective solutions. More than 30 Bombardier people mover systems are in successful operation worldwide, including urban areas such as Guangzhou and airports in London, Rome, Madrid, Phoenix, Dubai and Tampa among other cities.

Aurigny Launch Customer for ClearVision With First ATR 72-600

  • Guernsey airline renews ATR fleet with the delivery of first of three new ATR 72-600 aircraft

Toulouse, 25 October 2019 – ATR, the world number one in the regional aviation market, today delivered the first of three ATR 72-600 aircraft to Aurigny. By replacing its fleet of three ATR 72-500 aircraft with the -600 Series, Aurigny will optimise its operations by acquiring the most efficient regional aircraft. An ATR 72-600 burns up to 40% less fuel and emits 40% less CO2 compared to a regional jet. The Guernsey-based airline will also further benefit from -600 Series’ latest generation Standard 3 avionics suite and is the launch customer for the ClearVision™ Enhanced Vision System (EVS). The EVS will provide pilots with outstanding vision and situational awareness during conditions of reduced visibility. In the cabin, Aurigny’s passengers will also benefit from the -600 Series’ modern Armonia cabin which will introduce the latest standards of comfort, offering more space for luggage in Overhead Bins and providing passengers 18” wide seats.

Aurigny Chief Executive Officer, Mark Darby, said: “We are sincerely proud of Aurigny’s role in providing essential connectivity between Guernsey and the United Kingdom – our customers depend on the services that we provide and we want to deliver them the very best. Our ATR fleet has played a key role in that for many years and upgrading our fleet will allow us both to optimise our operations with the very latest avionics while providing our passengers with a modern, comfortable cabin, in which they can relax and enjoy their flight.”

Stefano Bortoli, Chief Executive Officer of ATR commented: “Regional airlines often have a tough job and it is our role to make sure that we do everything that we can to support them. When an airline upgrades its ATR fleet to the latest generation -600 Series with ClearVision™, it tells us that our platform has a perfect fit with their operations and that they trust us to continue delivering innovations that will make a genuine and positive impact in the future.”

ATR aircraft provide a lifeline to island communities all over the world. With Guernsey situated in the English Channel, Aurigny deliver essential connectivity to their passengers by linking them to destinations in Great Britain and mainland Europe. An ATR study has shown that the benefit that regional connectivity can bring to communities, with a 10% increase in regional flights leading to a 5% increase in tourism, a 6% increase in regional GDP and an 8% increase in Foreign Direct Investment.

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