Air New Zealand takes delivery of its 30th ATR aircraft

It seems that Air New Zealand can’t get enough of the ATR Aircraft Family, with the airline introducing its 30th ATR72-600 aircraft into its fleet.

Air New Zealand ATR72-600 (ZK-MZG). Image, Air New Zealand. 

The new aircraft flew for the first time on Thursday, January 16, with its first scheduled flight from Christchurch to Invercargill. The aircraft’s registration is ZK-MZG. 

The newest ATR arrived in New Zealand on 29 December 2024 after a weeklong journey from the manufacturing site in Toulouse, France.

Its journey spanned over 20,000 kilometres, with stops in Heraklion, Riyadh, Oman, Hyderabad, Kuala Lumpur, Denpasar, Darwin, and Brisbane before landing in Christchurch.

There are some new things to look forward to for the airline, with this ATR72-600 featuring the Pratt & Whitney PW127XT engines. It marks the first time that Air New Zealand has operated the type with this engine, which is designed to deliver an estimated 3% fuel savings compared to its predecessor.

In Quotes

Air New Zealand’s General Manager of Strategy, Networks, and Fleet, Baden Smith said

“The ATR is a fantastic aircraft and the backbone of our domestic network for regional customers. It performs exceptionally well in New Zealand’s unique operating conditions with its fuel efficiency, reliability, and ability to access smaller airports. The aircraft’s versatility ensures we can maintain a robust and resilient service, connecting our communities across the motu efficiently,” said Smith.k.

“Introducing our 30th ATR 72-600 into service is a milestone for Air New Zealand. The addition of this aircraft will provide vital support for our turboprop fleet helping provide maintenance flexibility and helping maintain the reliability of our services for regional customers,” 

A strong relationship and a core fleet

Air New Zealand has operated the ATR Family of aircraft since 2012, flying over 33 million passengers in over 610,908 flights around the country since the type was introduced to the airline in 2012 – providing a core link for the people of New Zealand.

Unsurprisingly, the ATR fleet in New Zealand is so important that it has grown to be the largest type the airline operates (with the Airbus A320 and Dash8 families coming in joint second place, with 23 aircraft in each arm).

And there is continued growth, with Air New Zealand expecting another ATR72-600 during mid-2025.

For both ATR and Air New Zealand, it shows the value a turboprop can bring, allowing communities to travel and be connected – whilst at a manageable cost.

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