Thailand’s Bangkok Airways and the European turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR are pleased to announce the signature of a contract for the purchase of three ATR 72-600s, valued at approximately USD24.6 million each. This deal represents the conversion into firm orders of the options included in the deal unveiled earlier this year at the Singapore Airshow (6 firm ATR 72-600s and two options), plus one additional aircraft. With the acquisition of these new ATR ‘-600s’, the airline will bring to nine its total fleet of ATR 72-600s.

The delivery of their first aircraft is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, while the 9th aircraft is expected to arrive into the airline’s fleet by the first quarter of 2017. With the introduction of their new ATR -600s, Bangkok Airways is further extending its long term partnership with ATR since the two companies have been cooperating for more than 20 years.

Commenting on the deal, Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, President of Bangkok Airways, declared: “We have been operating ATRs for over two decades, and we definitely consider that this is the perfect aircraft, while consolidating our leadership in some of the key domestic routes in Thailand”. He added: “We will be pleased to achieve a new and very important step of our long-term relationship with ATR with the renewal of our entire fleet of ATR -500s with the most modern ATR -600s”.

Patrick de Castelbajac, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: “This deal, achieved only a few months after having agreed with Bangkok Airways the introduction of their first ATR -600s, strongly consolidates our long-standing partnership. We are pleased to be associated to the growth and the expansion plans of one of the leading carriers in South-East Asia”. He added: “In order to further strengthen our commitment towards our operators in the region, we will also support the setting up of new training facilities for ATR -600s in Bangkok before the end of the year”.

Airbus Group press release