UTair Aviation and ATR have signed a contract on delivery of 20 new regional ATR 72-500 turboprops, the airline reports. AEX.ru

The contract has been signed by CEO of UTair Andrey Martirosov and ATR’s CEO Filippo Bagnato in the presence of many guests and officials. The total amount of this contract is $426 million, according to ATR.

«The signing ceremony has taken place in Kiev on April 7th , UTair and ATR consider Ukraine to be one of the most perspective countries for their joint business. Seriousness of intensions is being confirmed by dynamical development of UTair’s subsidiary – Utair-Ukraine, created in September 2008. The company has received Ukrainian civil aviation Air Operator Certificate in 2009. UTair-Ukraine, based at international airports of Lugansk and Borispol, is performing regular and charter flights, using ATR 42 and Boeing 737-400», - Utair’s press-service reports.

"UTair and Utair-Ukraine have the most advanced route network connecting Ukraine’s regional centers with Moscow and other Russian cities. The schedule of regular flights from Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Lugansk, Lvov, Nikolaev, Simferopol and Kharkov to Moscow is made in such a manner that it provides comfortable flight connections at Vnukovo airport while flying from Ukraine to any of 60 Russian and foreign cities. UTair-Ukraine plans to launch new regular flights soon, in particular, from Kiev to Ivano-Frankovsk, Krivoy Rog, Lvov and Lugansk ", - said the UTair’s representative.

UTair and UTair-Ukraine have been operating ATR family aircraft for a few years, and the number of these aircrafts in the companies’ fleet is constantly rising. More than 1.6 million passengers have been carried on companies’ domestic and international routes by ATR aircraft since 2006.

The expansion of UTair’s fleet by 20 ATR 72-500s will make the company’s fleet more suitable for demands of the growing market and will also improve fuel savings. It is planned that part of these aircrafts will be used in Ukrainian market, having longstanding traditions of regional transportation, and it will increase the flight service availability and will promote the rate reduction on domestic flights.

CEO of UTair, Andrey Martirosov, said: «The acquisition of new ATR 72-500s will help us modernize our fleet and increase the number of ATR aircraft in our fleet almost two times. These turboprops present a perfect choice for regional transportations in Russia and Ukraine. They have proven to be reliable and profitable not only in Europe, but also in adverse climatic conditions of Siberia. One of the main reasons for choosing ATR 72-500 is the high level of comfort and reliability offered to our passengers for a reasonable price ».

ATR has noted, that UTair’s fleet includes 17 ATR aircrafts: 12 ATR 42-300 and 3 ATR 72-500 in Russia and 2 ATR 42 300 in UTair-Ukraine. The acquisition of 20 new ATR 72-500 turboprops will make UTair the largest European operator of ATR aircraft, having a fleet of 37 ones. Following the results of this deal, the total number of ATR aircrafts operated by airlines in Russia, Ukraine and CIS region will be over 50.

ATR’s CEO Filippo Bagnato said: «We are proud that UTair, the largest Russian regional airline, has chosen our aircraft. Russia and CIS region present a great commercial potential for development of their regional transportation. ATR 72-500’s entry into service will secure our leading positions among Western manufacturers of regional aircraft in Russia and CIS region.