Malaysia Airlines Firms Orders For 20 ATR 72-600s

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has signed a firm order with Avions de Transport Regional G.I.E (ATR) to acquire 20 new-generation ATR 72-600s valued at US$840 million, with options for another 16 aircraft, in a bid to grow the network and frequencies of its subsidiary airlines, Firefly and MASwings.

The newer-generation ATR 72-600s will work to replace the older ATR 72-500 series, with deliveries commencing from mid-2013.

The purchase agreement is a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding signed in December last year.

MAS currently has 22 ATR 72-500s in its fleet, operated by its subsidiaries Firefly (12) and MASwings (10).

In a statement yesterday, MAS group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said the new ATR 72-600s will enable Firefly and MASwings to further expand their regional offering by adding new routes, frequencies and connectivity to MAS' global network.

"We have partnered ATR for the last five years, and we are satisfied with the outstanding performance and commercial results that our ATR 72s provide to our growing community networks.

"The ATRs are clearly playing an important role in the development of MAS, as we connect regional destinations and enable seamless connectivity for passengers to larger aircraft at our main hubs," he added.