The national airline of the Maldives, Island Aviation Services Ltd (dba. Maldivian), and ATR are pleased to announce the signing of a contract for the purchase of the airline’s first ATR aircrafts: two AT 72-600 and one ATR 42-600. The three aircraft will be delivered in 2022.
The ATR 72-600 and AT 42-600 will benefit from the new PW127XT engines, offering 3% reduction in fuel consumption and a 20% reduction in maintenance costs, along with the ability to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Sustainable development is a major concern for Maldivian as an airline operating out of a climate-vulnerable nation as well as for ATR. ATR aircraft already boast the lowest fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of all the regional aircraft with ATR 72-600’s consuming up to 40% less fuel than aircraft in the category. Maldivian is joining forces with ATR to contribute to the economic development of the archipelago. This initiative will complement the Government of Maldives’ air connectivity policy and allow Maldivian to offer enhanced connectivity across the Maldives.
Mohamed Mihad, Managing Director of Maldivian, said: “We are pleased to take this next step in our expansion plans with ATR. We believe the new generation of ATR aircraft with the XT engines offer something we have been looking for in our fleet modernization, taking a step towards sustainability while keeping an eye on the operating costs as well as enhancing the cabin modernity and passenger comfort.”
Stefano Bortoli, ATR’s Chief Executive Officer, stated: “Welcoming a new member into the ATR family is always a great moment. The signing of this contract underlines the fact that, despite the current context of the pandemic, operators are looking to the future, and this is a strong symbol of the resilience of the aviation sector. Our aircraft have proven their reliability by linking up the islands of many archipelagos for almost four decades, and now we are proud to be able to contribute to the modernization and expansion plans of the national flag carrier of the Maldives.”
