The national airline Air Algérie took delivery this morning of the first ATR 72-500 of the 4 ordered in 2009. This aircraft was delivered during a ceremony organized in Toulouse.

Air Algérie, which already operated 8 ATR 72-500s, will increase the size of its fleet to 12 with the delivery, during 2010, of the remaining 3 aircraft on order. Consequently, Air Algérie will become the largest ATR operator on the African continent.

These 4 new aircraft, all configured in the 66 seat version, will enable the national airline Air Algérie to propose an optimized service to its passengers, by offering more frequent flights and by opening new routes, in particular to certain regions in the south of the country and to countries in the Mediterranean basin.

ATR will also provide its assistance to Air Algérie for the installation, commissioning and operation of a new flight simulator, which is part of the plans of the airline to open a training center for its pilots in Algeria.