Page 35 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE ATR MRO

ATR set up a Customer Centre
in Singapore, covering the
whole South East Asia region
and being able, today, to
provide full 24/7 technical
assistance to some 60 airlines
over 20 countries of the region
have become the preferred choice for had been their largest market,” the Global Maintenance Agreements
airlines which are expanding or replacing official details. In addition to the expansion of its
regional fleets all over the world. “Among partnerships with MRO providers, ATR has
all regional aircraft, no matter if using Able Customer Support progressively set up Global Maintenance
propellers or jet engines, the turboprops The consolidation of ATR in Asia has Agreements (GMAs) with a large number
of ATR experienced an outstanding also been sustained on the ability of of its operators.
recovery and, since 2010, we have become the aircraft manufacturer to closely As of today, some 30 per cent of
the most-selling regional aircraft all over support its operators on the region on the total ATR fleet in operation all over
the world,” the official claims. a daily basis. In recent years, ATR has the world are covered by these type of
Undoubtedly, the 70-seat ATR 72 and substantially developed its customer maintenance contracts. The figures have
the 50-seat ATR 42 have consolidated support offer in Asia in order, precisely, increased to over 60 per cent with the ATR
themselves as the preferred aircraft to make sure that its operators get the -600 series, the most popular regional
family among regional carriers. While best from their ATR fleets. aircraft in Asia in recent years.
sales of ATR aircraft have nearly By the end of the 1990s, ATR set up a Airlines such as Lion Air, -which has
represented some 40 per cent of the Customer Centre in Singapore, covering become the largest ATR customer with
total sales all over the world; the the whole South East Asia region and firm orders for 100 aircraft, Garuda
appetite for these aircraft in South East being able, today, to provide full 24/7 Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines’ Firefly
Asia has been particularly intense in technical assistance to some 60 airlines and MASwings, Philippines’ Cebu
the same period. In sum, almost nine over 20 countries of the region. With Pacific, Vietnam Airlines. Even Virgin
regional aircraft out of ten purchased by an aim to being as close as possible Australia and Air New Zealand have
a South East Asian airline since 2010 has to airlines, the European turboprop associated their brands to ATR in recent
been an ATR. manufacturer progressively expanded years in Asia-Pacific and have strongly
The aircraft burns less fuel, and the its footprint in the region by setting up contributed to the consolidation of ATR
low operating costs and environmental new training facilities and a warehouse as the preferred solution for regional
friendliness make these aircraft, and of spare parts also in Singapore, while flights in the region.
particularly its latest ‘-600 series’ inking an agreement with a Thai carrier “Besides the advantages like low-
variant, popular in Asian airports. to train additional pilots in Bangkok. operating costs and flexibility of the
“The presence of these aircraft has “Now there is no need to train pilots aircraft, the progressive development of
tripled within the last decade across at the ATR headquarters in France or to the ATR customer support policy and the
Asia, from 110 to some 350 units. More bring spare parts from Europe. ATR’s expansion of its network of MRO providers,
than this, since 2014, Asia-Pacific has philosophy of proximity to customers training centres and warehouses all
become the region in the world with brings type-rating, recurrent training around the world contribute to ATR getting
the largest fleet of ATRs in operation, or availability of spare parts close to 40 per cent stake in the regional markets,”
surpassing Europe, which for 30 years airlines, on their own region,” he says. the company official says.
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