The national airline of the Maldives – Maldivian – has signed a firm order with ATR Aircraft to replace existing aircraft in their fleet. 
The order is for two ATR42-600 (the smaller of the ATR aircraft currently offered from its catalogue). These new aircraft will join the airline’s existing regional fleet, including two ATR 72-600 and one ATR 42-600, to replace older generation turboprops.
These will be powered by Pratt and Whitney PW127XT engines, to help operate lower-emmision flights, whilst allowing for reliable and affordable connectivity to the archipelago’s communities and businesses.
In Quotes
Mohamed Mihad, Managing Director of Maldivian, stated:
“We introduced our first two ATR aircraft into our fleet in January 2023, and our passengers already praise the comfort and modernity of their cabin, as well as the reliability of the services we are providing. As the benchmark in regional aviation, both in terms of financial efficiency and CO2 emissions, the ATR -600 series represents a valuable asset for us to achieve responsible growth while providing quick access to essential services and preserving destinations for the archipelago’s residents and tourists.”
Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, Chief Executive Officer of ATR added:
“To modernise its fleet and sustain the vital connections it is offering its communities, Maldivian has, yet again, chosen to invest in the lowest-emission regional aircraft on the market and the proven benchmark in terms of operating economics. Having a mixed fleet of both ATR 42-600 and 72-600 will offer Maldivian flexibility, reliability, comfort, and profitability on the smallest routes. Maldivian’s passengers will benefit from state-of-the-art aircraft, providing responsible and affordable connectivity for many years to come”
Current fleet
Maldivian operations include DeHavilland Dash 8 (1 Dash8-200 and 4 Dash8-300), ATR aircraft (1 ATR42-600, 2 ATR72-600), as well as singular Airbus A320. The Maldivian Seaplane subsidiary operates a fleet of DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, providing specialist connectivity for tourists who want to be dropped at the front door of their resort.
The airline is based out of Male, providing domestic operations to 16 destinations as well as international scheduled flights to cities in India and Bangladesh.
As the airline modernises, it seems they have settled on ATR to help the lift for its passengers as its regional solution – and as further aircraft join the fleet, the costs will fall as the airline standardises on its new platform.
Images – ATR Aircraft.
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