Bahamasair Takes Delivery of First ATR 72-600

Bahamasair, the national flag carrier of the Bahamas, has taken delivery of its first ATR 72-600.

The airline and ATR inked a deal for two ATR 72-600s and three ATR 42-600s at the last Paris Air Show. With the arrival of this new aircraft, Bahamasair becomes a new operator of ATR.

Valentine Grimes, Chairman of Bahamasair, said, “The strong commonality between the 50-seat ATR 42s and the 70-seat ATR 72s is an important asset, as it will enable us to propose flexible capacity and optimized operating costs. We are pleased to introduce an aircraft that has clearly proven worldwide that it perfectly fits the operational needs of airlines flying in island environments. The ability of the ATR aircraft to take-off and land on short runways and to operate at small airfields, coupled with their most modern technologies and passenger appeal, are among the main reasons of our choice.”

Today, ATRs successfully fly in many island environments, including the Caribbean region, French Polynesia and the South Pacific, the Philippines, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Indonesia or the Indian Ocean.

As of today, some 180 ATR are operated in the Latin American and the Caribbean, an outstanding increase within the last decade (70 aircraft in operation in 2005).

Patrick de Castelbajac, ATR Chief Executive Officer, said, “Indeed, the ATR aircraft have succeeded for years as the reference for inter-island regional flights. Our aircraft are particularly popular in the island environments where they are operated, as they are a necessary link to population and a key factor of tourism and business development. We are pleased to welcome Bahamasair among our list of customers.”

ATR 72-600

Passenger capacity: 68-78 seats
Engines: Pratt & Whitney 127M
Maximum power at take-off: 2,750 horsepower per engine
Maximum weight at take-off: 23,000 Kg (50,705 lb)
Maximum load: 7,500 Kg (16,534 lb)
Maximum range with full passenger load: 900 nautical miles (1,665 Km)