News
Mandarin Airlines adds ATR72-600s to fleet
December 1st 2017
China Airlines (CAL) subsidiary, Mandarin Airlines, has taken delivery of the first of nine on-order ATR72-600s. Read More » The aircraft service the carrier’s domestic network by adding destinations and increasing frequencies on existing routes. It has fitted the aircraft in a single class configuration, seating 70 passengers.
Mandarin’s first three ATRs will be leased from Singapore-headquartered lessor, Avation. The remaining six are direct ATR purchases. All deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2019.
“The ATR 72–600 features several strengths, with fuel-efficiency its strongest point. These enable Mandarin Airlines to operate domestic flights with higher efficiency and more profitability. With ATR 72-600s joining the fleet, Mandarin Airlines will significantly increase the flight frequencies on each domestic route and then introduce some potential new sectors afterwards,” said Mandarin Airlines president, Jenny Tsao.
The airline wants to increase the frequency on trunks routes to Kinmen, Magong, Taichung and Kaohsiung with the ATRs. “Intensive flight frequency is the main goal as we introduce ATRs into our market,” Tsao said, and specified the airline wanted to offer “three to five daily flights instead of one to two daily currently”.
“It is always a special moment when we welcome a new operator into our fleet. After careful consideration of all alternatives Mandarin Airlines has chosen the best aircraft in regional aviation, the ATR. It is most gratifying,” ATR CEO, Christian Scherer, said. “When this choice is made by a national flag carrier, namely China Airlines’ Mandarin, we are all the more honoured.”
Avation executive chairman, Jeff Chatfield, said the first Mandarin ATR72-600 delivery was Avation’s 30th ATR 72. “We are satisfied with the financial returns provided by the ATR 72 aircraft type,” he said.
Mandarin Airlines also has six Embraer E190s in its fleet which it flies on higher-demand domestic and cross-strait flights.
There is no firm date for the first -600 to enter service with Mandarin Airlines. Taiwan’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), requires turboprop operators to undergo special certification, following several high-profile accidents in recent years.
Far Eastern Air Transport took delivery of two ATR72-600s earlier this year but was only approved by the CAA to commence revenue passenger flights in mid-November.
