Indonesia’s WINGS AIR, -a regional subsidiary of the national largest private carrier LION AIR- and ATR today celebrated the introduction of the first three ATR 72-500s to the fast growing Indonesian market. The delivery of these aircraft follows the signature, last year, of a contract for the purchase of 15 ATR 72-500s, plus options for 15 ATR 72-600s, valued at some US $ 600 million, options included. The introduction of these first three ATR 72-500s was celebrated with a ceremony that took place in Manado, a growing tourism and diving destination, and was officially launched by His Excellency Freddy Numberi, Indonesian Minister of Transportation and SH Sarundajang, Governor of North Sulawesi.
The aircraft, configured with 72 seats and powered with Pratt & Whitney 127M engines, are equipped with a cabin featuring the most modern standards of passenger comfort, as well as with the most updated navigation technologies.
With the introduction of its new fleet of ATR 72-500s, WINGS AIR will consolidate its leading position in the domestic market in Indonesia, develop feeder routes to the main hubs and expand its network to remote areas of the country which where not benefiting from regular airline connectivity in the past.
The ATR 72-500s operated by WINGS AIR will also replace routes currently operated with MD 80 and increase frequencies on existing routes operated with Lion Air B-737-900ER. The remaining 12 firm ATR 72-500s will be progressively introduced in 2010 and 2011.
Commenting on the ceremony, Rusdi Kirana, Chairman of WINGS AIR and Chief Executive Officer of LION AIR, stated: “We are proud of being the first to introduce the ATR 72-500 in Indonesia, an aircraft reputed worldwide for its reliability and comfort. Our new fleet of ATRs will also enable us to optimize our operating costs on the regional network, and therefore we will be able to propose very competitive fares to our passengers.” He added: “We are glad to invite them to discover the new ATR experience, and we are delighted to contribute to the expansion of the air connectivity to some remote areas of the country, while participating in the development of tourism and business.” Mr. Kirana also underlined “the large support network of ATR in Asia, as a key factor of our decision of introducing the ATRs into the fleet of WINGS AIR”.
“We are honoured to be associated to the expansion plans of WINGS AIR, a leading airline which bets on modernity, high technology and reliability for the development of its operations”, declared Stéphane Mayer, Chief Executive Officer of ATR. “The introduction of the ATR ‘-500s series’ in Indonesia is also an important step on the consolidation of our strong presence in Asia, as this is a very dynamic market with a solid potential for regional growth.” He added: “The ATRs are optimally suited for regional operations in the country. WINGS AIR will benefit from the many advantages of our aircraft, as proved performance on short runways, the lowest fuel consumption of regional aviation, easy maintenance and optimal profitability on low-yield routes.” He concluded: “We will be pleased to provide WINGS AIR with all our support and expertise as aircraft manufacturer for ensuring a successful deployment of their brand new ATR 72-500 fleet.”
LION AIR is the Indonesia’s largest private carrier and operates one of the world’s youngest and advanced fleets of the next generation Boeing 737-900ER jet as launched customer, and counts the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 737-900ER. LION AIR was established in October 1999 and started operations on June 30, 2000. WINGS AIR is the sister company of LION AIR and was established in 2002. WINGS AIR predominately operates regional and rural routes and blended in to LION AIR’s network as a feeder airline.
Toulouse, Southern France-based regional aircraft manufacturer ATR is the world leader in the 50 to 74-seat turboprop market. ATR is an equal partnership between Alenia Aeronautica (a Finmeccanica company) and EADS. In 2008, ATR posted an annual turnover record, with US $ 1.3 billion. ATR is certified ISO 14001, the worldwide standard in the field of environmental respect.
