Japan Air Commuter adds additional ATR to fleet; GIG Aviation adds two ATR 72 freighters

Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR and Japanese airline Japan Air Commuter (JAC) announced the delivery of the company’s ninth ATR 42-600 to its fleet of 11 ATR aircraft. The latest 42-600 will undertake the first leg of its ferry flight from Toulouse to Japan with a blend including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). In countries committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and preserving biodiversity such as Japan, ATR aircraft have proven to be successful: they connect communities and businesses across the Japanese archipelago in the most responsible way. This new ATR 42-600 sports a specific livery representing the leaves of Kaikouzu, the tree of Kagoshima Prefecture. These leaves are the symbol of the preservation of nature in this country. It represents JAC’s commitment to connect areas that coexist with nature, operating the lowest CO2 emissions and most fuel efficient aircraft. The Japanese airline flies Yakushima, Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Okinawa, which are all World Natural Heritage Sites, as well as many other areas rich and diverse in wildlife. Stefano Bortoli Chief Executive Officer of ATR, said “We are proud to see that ATR aircraft continue to support our Japanese long-standing customer JAC in its mission to connect communities and remote places, as well as propelling local economy. Thanks to the unrivalled versatility of our aircraft and its responsible performance, ATR aircraft are the perfect choice for this country.” GIG Aviation adds two ATR 72 freighters Regional turboprop manufacturer ATR announced an agreement for the acquisition of two ATR 72-500 freighters from its asset management portfolio to GIG Aviation, a subsidiary of GIG Group. The ATR 72-500s will initiate GIG Aviation journey as a freighter airline. The ATR freighters will help GIG Logistics expand its network in Africa to meet the rapid growth of e-commerce in the country and strengthen the connections between communities from the different regions and sub regions. Adetoro Fowoshere, Chief Executive Officer of GIG Aviation, said: “The acquisition of two ATR 72-500 freighters demonstrates our commitment to provide high standards of delivery services to communities of Africa and Nigeria. We are expanding rapidly through local branches, notably in Nigeria, and the entry into service of these aircraft will be significant in allowing us to expand operations with economic efficiency and reliability, key factors for an airline. With our ATR aircraft, we will continue to meet the cargo needs of communities with increased capacity.” Tarek Ben Omrane, Head of Business Development of ATR, said: “We are delighted that GIG Aviation has chosen ATR to expand its network and use its unrivalled performance to support the connectivity and e-commerce growth in Nigeria. We believe that ATR aircraft are the perfect fit for such needs and are happy that the customers of GIG Aviation will benefit from fast efficient services provided by GIG Aviation through the use of our aircraft.” There are currently around 140 converted ATR freighter aircraft in operation, representing one-third of the global regional freighter fleet. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]