The African airline Air Madagascar will shortly be equipped with the next generation ATR 72 – 600 turboprop, thus renewing and expanding its fleet of regional aircraft currently composed of one ATR 42-500 and two ATR 72-500.

Three are the planes ordered from the Italian-French Consortium ATR, for a total value of approximately 77 million dollars, the first of which will be delivered at the beginning of 2017. Furthermore, Air Madagascar has recently signed an agreement with the Irish leasing company Elix Aviation Capital for another two ATR 72-600, the first having already been delivered while the second is scheduled for next month.

Air Madagascar is a long-time customer of ATR, having introduced its first airplane, an ATR 42-300, back in 1996, and the -500 series aircraft in 2005. There are currently 110 ATR that fly for 30 airlines throughout 27 African countries and in the Middle East.

This brings to more than 1,400 the total number of ATR sold to 180 operators in 90 countries around the world while the -600 series totals more than 500 units, a veritable benchmark for the turboprop regional transportation market in the below 90–seat segment.