Aurigny Air Services Takes Delivery of New ATR 72-500

Guernsey-based Aurigny Air Services has taken delivery of its first new ATR 72-500, in accordance with a deal for two ATR 72-500s inked in summer 2007 and valued at some US$ 37 million.

With its new ATR 72-500s, configured with 72-seats and equipped with the “Elegance Cabin”, Aurigny Air Services will replace two out of its current three ATR 72-200s.

Commenting on this first ATR 72-500, Malcolm Hart, Managing Director of Aurigny Air Services, said, “We are pleased to take delivery of our first ATR 72-500, and launch the modernization of our turboprop fleet with aircraft featuring the lowest operating costs and the most reduced environmental footprint of the regional aviation. With its very low CO2 and noise emissions, the ATRs have proven themselves as a very ‘good neighbour’. We are really satisfied with the high degree of performance of our ATR aircraft since we started operating them in 2003. Now it is time to go one step forward, providing to our passengers new aircraft which have the highest standards of comfort available today.”

Since the beginning of the programme, ATR has sold 979 aircraft (420 ATR 42s and 559 ATR 72s).

Aurigny is based in Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands. It operates daily flights to London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton, Alderney, Jersey and Dinard.

On the 1st of May 2009 Aurigny will introduce new daily services between Guernsey and East Midlands, and between Jersey and London Stansted, as well as a fifth daily service between Guernsey and London Gatwick.

The word 'Aurigny' comes from the Norman-French name for the island of Alderney where the airline started operations in 1968. Aurigny flew 45,000 passengers in its first year and has flown nearly 10 million passengers since. The airline celebrated its 40th birthday in 2008, becoming one of longest-running regional operators in the world.

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