European plane manufacturer ATR on Wednesday signed deals worth nearly $650 million with customers from Thailand and Dubai for 26 aircraft.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, the biggest aviation leasing firm in the Middle East, made firm orders for 20 72-600s, while Thailand's Bangkok Airways signed up for six of the same aircraft, ATR announced at the Singapore Airshow.
The list price of the 20 aircraft ordered by Dubai Aerospace is $494 million and will be delivered between 2015 and 2018, while Bangkok Airways' six planes are worth nearly $150 million and will be delivered from the end of this year to 2016.
Dubai Aerospace has the option to buy 20 more aircraft while the Thai carrier has the option to buy two more.
"We aim to diversify our portfolio and expand into regional aircraft to meet an increasing demand from airlines that are developing regional air connectivity," said Khalifa AlDaboos, managing director of Dubai Aerospace.
The firm has an aircraft portfolio of approximately $3.3 billion comprising Boeing B737s and B777s, as well as Airbus A320s and A330s.
ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato said the partnership with Dubai Aerospace "will further enhance the visibility of our brand and our products in the Middle East, where we expect to continue developing our presence in the very next years".
The ATR order is Dubai Aerospace's first for regional aircraft, a designation given to planes that can seat 90 passengers or fewer.
Bangkok Airways president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said the purchase is "the logical continuation of a long-standing partnership that has achieved excellent results over time".
Bangkok Airways, which brands itself as a "boutique" carrier, plies routes from Bangkok to popular tourist destinations in the country as well as to the Maldives, Laos and Cambodia.
It currently operates eight ATR 72-500s, 10 Airbus 319s and seven Airbus A320s.
The ATR 72-600 ordered by both firms Wednesday can seat between 68 and 74 passengers.
European plane manufacturer ATR on Wednesday signed deals worth nearly $650 million with customers from Thailand and Dubai for 26 aircraft.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, the biggest aviation leasing firm in the Middle East, made firm orders for 20 72-600s, while Thailand’s Bangkok Airways signed up for six of the same aircraft, ATR announced at the Singapore Airshow.
The list price of the 20 aircraft ordered by Dubai Aerospace is $494 million and will be delivered between 2015 and 2018, while Bangkok Airways’ six planes are worth nearly $150 million and will be delivered from the end of this year to 2016.
Dubai Aerospace has the option to buy 20 more aircraft while the Thai carrier has the option to buy two more.
“We aim to diversify our portfolio and expand into regional aircraft to meet an increasing demand from airlines that are developing regional air connectivity,” said Khalifa AlDaboos, managing director of Dubai Aerospace.
The firm has an aircraft portfolio of approximately $3.3 billion comprising Boeing B737s and B777s, as well as Airbus A320s and A330s.
ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato said the partnership with Dubai Aerospace “will further enhance the visibility of our brand and our products in the Middle East, where we expect to continue developing our presence in the very next years”.
The ATR order is Dubai Aerospace’s first for regional aircraft, a designation given to planes that can seat 90 passengers or fewer.
Bangkok Airways president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said the purchase is “the logical continuation of a long-standing partnership that has achieved excellent results over time”.
Bangkok Airways, which brands itself as a “boutique” carrier, plies routes from Bangkok to popular tourist destinations in the country as well as to the Maldives, Laos and Cambodia.
It currently operates eight ATR 72-500s, 10 Airbus 319s and seven Airbus A320s.
The ATR 72-600 ordered by both firms Wednesday can seat between 68 and 74 passengers.
