Avianca and Taca order 15 ATR 72-600s
The deal with the major Latin American aviation group includes 15 options
European turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR and Latin American aviation group AviancaTaca Holding are pleased to announce the signature of a major contract for the purchase of 15 ATR 72-600s, plus options for 15 additional aircraft. The deal, including the options, is valued at close to US$ 700 million. Avianca and Taca recently made its final choice after an exhaustive evaluation of all the competing alternatives, opting for the ATR 72-600 to provide the best overall solution. The deliveries of the firm aircraft will start in June 2013.
AviancaTaca is one of the largest and fastest growing aviation groups in Latin America. It currently operates a combined fleet of more than 150 aircraft, the second largest fleet in Latin America. The group serves more than 100 destinations in Latin America, US, Canada, Caribbean region and Europe, and has 4 major hubs in Bogota, San Salvador, Lima and San José de Costa Rica.
With the introduction of their fleet of 15 brand new 70-seat ATR 72-600, AviancaTaca will progressively replace their Fokker 50s and ATR 42s currently in operation. Avianca will fly the new ATR 72-600s to destinations like Barrancabermeja, Florencia, Manizales, Neiva, Pasto, Popayán, Tumaco and Yopal, in Colombia. Taca will fly the aircraft to Guatemala city and Flores (Guatemala), Tegucigalpa, Roatán and San Pedro Sula (Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador), Managua (Nicaragua), and San José and Liberia (Costa Rica). The ATR 72-600s will also provide passengers with stylish cabin interior designs and the most modern standards of comfort.
Commenting on the deal, Mr. Fabio Villegas Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer of AviancaTaca, declared: “With the introduction of these new 72-seat ATR 72-600s, we reemphasize our commitment to the connectivity within the regions in Colombia and Central America. The selected aircraft will enable us to increase our capacity in regional routes, further enhance our network and propose the highest standards of comfort to our passengers”.
Mr. Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: “This is indeed a major contract for ATR as we are signing with a well-reputed and leading-edge air transportation provider in the Americas. We are proud to be a part of the expansion of AviancaTaca. At the same time, we are pleased of renewing a longstanding relationship that dates back over 15 years with TACA Regional, and to further increase the presence of the new ATR 72-600s in the whole of Latin America. Our aircraft have experienced an outstanding success in this region in recent years due to their flexibility and low operating costs”.
ATR has some 150 aircraft currently flying with Latin American airlines’ liveries, plus some 50 additional aircraft to be delivered in the region. ATR is experiencing an outstanding success in Latin America. This success highlights the suitability of the ATR aircraft for the regional operations in a very dynamic market with still strong untapped potential.
About the ATR 72-600:
- Passenger capacity: 68-74 seats
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 127M
- Maximum power at take-off: 2,750 horse power per engine
- Maximum weight at take-off: 23,000 Kg
- Maximum load: 7,500 Kg
- Maximum range with full passenger load: 900 nautical miles (1,665 Km)
About AviancaTaca
Avianca and TACA Airlines integrate, -with other subsidiary carriers-, Avianca-TACA Holding. With a modern fleet of more than 150 short, medium and long-haul aircraft, and more than 17,000 collaborators, Avianca and TACA Airlines propose more than 100 destinations over 25 countries in America and Europe. AviancaTaca Holding annual revenue is close to US$ 4 Billion.
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About ATR
ATR is the world number one regional aircraft manufacturer with its ATR 42 and 72, the best-selling aircraft in the below 90-seat market segment. The unifying vision of the company is to accelerate sustainable connections for people, communities and businesses, no matter how remote. Flown by some 200 airlines in over 100 countries, ATR aircraft opened 160 new routes in 2023, facilitating the development of territories and enabling access to crucial services like healthcare and education. Thanks to ATR’s focus on continuous innovation and the intrinsic efficiency of the turboprop technology, ATR aircraft are the most advanced, versatile, cost-effective and lowest-emission regional aircraft on the market, emitting 45% less CO2 than similar-size regional jets. In January 2022, we flew the first ever commercial aircraft using 100% SAF in both engines. ATR is a joint-venture between Airbus and Leonardo.