Tag Archives: ATR 72-212A

The sale of Flybe Nordic’s 60% share formerly held by Flybe is approved

Finnair (Helsinki) has announced the sale of Flybe’s (Exeter) 60% share in Flybe Nordic has been approved. The airline issued this statement:

The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority has approved the transaction in which Flybe UK Ltd’s 60% ownership of Flybe Nordic venture will be transferred to StaffPoint Holding Ltd and G.W. Sohlberg Ltd (GWS) . The letter of intent on this transaction was announced on January 7, 2015. Upon completion of the sale, StaffPoint’s ownership in the joint venture will be 45%, GWS’s 15% and Finnair’s 40%. The transaction is expected to be closed in early February 2015.

Flybe Nordic owns fully the Finnish subsidiary Flybe Finland, which is in charge of Finnair’s regional airline operations. Flybe Finland currently operates to a number of domestic and European destinations from Helsinki on behalf of Finnair on a contract-flying basis. In addition, Flybe Finland operates to five domestic destinations as well as Tartu, Estonia and Norrköping, Sweden at its own commercial risk.

Will the Flybe Finland brand now be changed to a new name? Flybe Finland was formerly FinnComm Airlines.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Flybe Finland’s ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) OH-ATG (msn 757) sits on the ramp at the Helsinki (HEL) base.

Video: A time lapse full flight window view of a flight from Edinburgh to Birmingham, onboard Flybe Embraer ERJ 175 G-FBJE, operating flight BE 852 on October 31, 2014.

Quick Duck Airlines suspends operations

Quick Duck Airlines (Bratislava) was a “quick airline”. The short-lived airline has suspended operations and returned their only aircraft according to ch-aviation. The airline started operations only on November 1, 2014.

Photo: Marek Vanzura/Wikipedia Commons. The lone aircraft, ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) OM-AQD (msn 1162), is seen at Brno Airport. It was leased in October 2014 from AVAP and has been returned.

Air Algerie takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

Air Algerie (Algiers) on December 22, 2014 took delivery of its first ATR 72-600. The pictured ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) 7T-VUT (msn 1223) was handed over to the carrier

ATR also celebrated its 200th ATR -600 aircraft delivery.

The first of three ATR 72-600s ordered earlier in 2014 will join an existing fleet of 12 ATR 72-500s currently operating at the airline. The deliveries will continue until June 2016.

Air Algerie first ATR flew for the first time in 2003.

Image: ATR.

Air Algerie aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Africa-1/Airlines-Africa1-AF/Air-Algerie

Blue Islands to drop three routes from Jersey

Blue Islands (Guernsey) is dropping three routes from Jersey. Amsterdam (January 4, 2015), Paris (CDG) (January 5) and Zurich (December 31) are being eliminated as the company slims its network according to Airline Route.

It is unclear if this is a seasonal adjustment or a long-term adjustment.

Blue Islands aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-1/Airlines-Europe-1/Blue-Islands-blueislandscom

Current Route Map:

Jet Airways to end low-fare JetKonnect flights on December 1

Jet Airways (Mumbai) is getting out of the low-fare business and will concentrate on full service flights under its own brand. All JetKonnect-branded flights will end on November 30 and on the following day all flights will be operated under Jet Airways brand.

JetKonnect (Mumbai) was originally known as Sahara Airlines which started operations on December 3, 1993. The airline changed its name to Air Sahara on October 2, 2000. Jet Airways acquired the airline and changed its name to Jetlite on June 1, 2007.

Jetlite was replaced and merged into Jet Airways’s JetKonnect brand on March 25, 2012.

Jet Airways issued this statement:

From December 1, 2014 all existing JetKonnect flights will operate as full service flights under a single brand, Jet Airways.

All guests booking flights on or after September 15, 2014 for travel on or after December 1, 2014 will enjoy a full service experience onboard all Jet Airways and JetKonnect operated flights across our domestic network. This enhancement will involve complimentary meal service onboard all our flights for travel effective December 01, 2014. Consequently Sky Café, our Buy on Board service will be discontinued.

JetKonnect flies to 47 cities within India with over 430 daily flights with a mix of Boeing and ATR aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Eurospot. Jet Airways retained the Jetlite color scheme and simply added JetKonnect titles when the two brands were merged. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWEQ (msn 1056) descends from the clouds at an overcast Toulouse. F-WWEO became VT-JCX on delivery on November 30, 2012.

Jet Airways aircraft slide show:

Air Sahara aircraft slide show:

LIAT to downsize its fleet in 2015, possible staff cuts

LIAT – The Caribbean Airline (Antigua) has issued this statement about the reduction of its fleet from 11 aircraft to nine and possible staff cuts:

LIAT is about to embark on its annual budget planning exercise and to put in place its operational plans for 2015.

As a result of the airline’s fleet transition program, LIAT will be a smaller airline in 2015 than in 2014, operating a fleet of nine aircraft as opposed to 11 in 2014.

LIAT Chief Executive Officer David Evans said: “Like any responsible business we have to examine our cost base and if we fly fewer aircraft in 2015 than in 2014, we also need to reduce our costs to reflect this. We have also been mandated by our Board of Directors to ensure that our costs reflect the level of activity that we carry out. It is too early to say what impact there may be on jobs as a result of this, and the company will consult with its staff and their representatives over its plans before making any announcement.”

LIAT, The Caribbean Airline, operates a modern fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft across a regional network of 18 destinations. It is owned by regional shareholders, with the majority being the Governments of Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Copyright Photo: Raul Sepulveda/AirlinersGallery.com. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) V2-LIA (msn 1077) stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

LIAT Aircraft Slide Show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Caribbean/Airlines-Caribbean-AZ/LIAT

Route Map:

Korean Air decides to move ahead with its investment in Czech Airlines

Czech Airlines-CSA (Prague) has issued this statement concerning its new investor partner Korean Air (Seoul):

Czech Airlines management engaged in intensive negotiations with all company shareholders regarding their potential investments in the company immediately after the Czech Airlines shareholders unanimously approved a Czech Airlines restructuring plan at the beginning of September.

There has been a significant shift in negotiations with Korean Air. Czech Airlines management has received a letter from Korean Air confirming the company’s decision to become financially involved in the Czech Airlines stabilization process and a proposal of its capital contribution to Czech Airlines.

Czech Airlines management has been reviewing Korean Air’s proposal thoroughly and will present it to Czech Aeroholding management at the earliest date possible. Czech Aeroholding has promised to review Korean Air’s proposal and is also ready to provide Czech Airlines with a capital contribution in the capacity of a private investor.

Czech Airlines appreciates the decision made by Korean Air and views it as a demonstration of strong support by a private shareholder and a positive signal regarding Czech Airlines’ future. Czech Airlines management is convinced that this important move will help stabilize Czech Airlines in the immediate future.

Korean Air has conditioned its capital contribution to Czech Airlines by implicit execution of all measures outlined in the company’s restructuring plan. Czech Airlines management will negotiate additional strategic investments in Czech Airlines with all shareholders upon completion of the entry of Travel Service into Czech Airlines.

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Czech Airlines’ ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) F-GRPK (msn 727) with the special 90 Years – 1923-2013 emblem blocks at the gate.

Korean Air:

Czech Airlines:

Aer Lingus to restore the Dublin-East Midlands route on February 4, 2015

Aer Lingus (Dublin) is restoring the Dublin-East Midlands route on February 4, 2015. The restored route will be operated daily by Stobart Air (formerly Aer Arann) (Dublin) ATR 72s as an Aer Lingus Regional carrier.

Read the full story from Dublin Airport: CLICK HERE

Aer Lingus:

Aer Lingus Regional-Aer Arann:

Etihad Regional to add Brussels on March 29, 2015

Etihad Regional (Darwin Airline) (Lugano and Geneva) will add Brussels, Belgium on March 29 with two routes radiating to Dresden (three days a week) and Leipzig (four days a week). The new routes will be operated with ATR 72s.

Etihad Regional is the new European brand operated by Darwin Airline, the leading regional carrier of Switzerland. The airline is a full service carrier with a fleet of eight 50-seat SAAB 2000 turboprop aircrafts and four 68-seat ATRs 72-500s, operating to over 30 destinations in 9 European countries: Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Serbia, Netherlands and UK. Besides serving a range of key secondary cities in Europe, Etihad Regional offers international destinations across the entire world through its future 33.3 per cent shareholding equity and codeshare partner, Etihad Airways.

Etihad Regional:

Current routes from Geneva:

Bangkok Air orders three ATR 72-600s

Bangkok Airways (Bangkok Air) (Bangkok) 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 (subject to negotiated discount). 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 72-600s, 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 72-600s, Bangkok Airways is further extending its long term partnership with ATR since the two companies have been cooperating for more than 20 years.

Bangkok Air: