PRECISION STAYS EXPANSION COURSE WITH NEW ATR ORDER
(Picture courtesy of ATR)
Information was confirmed overnight that Tanzanias leading airline, Precision Air, has put aside their disappointing IPO performance and are set to stay the course of expansion as announced earlier in the year with an order for a further 5 ATR aircraft.
A usually reliable source has confirmed to this correspondent last night that the airline has ordered ATRs latest models, four ATR 42-600 and one ATR 72-600. Delivery of the ATR 42s is due to start in late 2012 while the 68 seater ATR 72 is expected to be delivered by early 2014.
The airline is flying already a mix of 9 ATR aircraft, mostly on their domestic schedules but also into nearer regional destinations like Entebbe, and when the new order is delivered Precision will have become Africas leading customer for the French manufacturer.
The move is also seen as a direct response by the airline to the Tanzanian governments declared intention to revive Air Tanzania, which currently flies a single Bombardier Q300 and with the main battleground being the domestic routes across this sprawling East African country, Precision will be well prepared to offer more flights to more destinations, in Tanzania and the region, than any of their competitors. More happy landings it is then for Precision come 2012.
