PAS19: Air Tahiti orders two ATR42-600 STOLs

By June 19, 2019 January 16th, 2020 General News

Air Tahiti and ATR have confirmed the order for two ATR 42-600S, the new version of the ATR 42 offering enhanced take-off and landing capabilities on short runways.

Manate Vivish, General Manager of Air Tahiti, stated: “I am so happy to be part of the launch of this new version of the ATR. This turboprop has already earned worldwide recognition for its high-quality performance, especially for island networks. The ATR 42-600S will enable us to use higher-capacity aircraft for destinations which until now had only been accessible with much smaller aircraft. This is excellent news, both for the inhabitants of the archipelago and for the tourists who visit us.”

Stefano Bortoli, ATR’s CEO, added: “Air Tahiti has been one of our best ambassadors for over 30 years. Day after day, the airline demonstrates our aircraft’s ability to serve island communities in a sustainable, responsible way. We are proud to announce that Air Tahiti is the launch customer for our ATR 42-600S, and we are convinced that this enhanced version will help the airline boost connectivity between communities even further, and support local development even more effectively.”

The new aircraft will be operated by the Polynesian airline on routes interconnecting the Marquesas Islands. The introduction of the ATRs is also a response to the airline’s desire to continue to standardise its regional fleet around ATRs.