AIR MADAGASCAR’S SHORT HAUL FLEET RENEWAL PROGRAMME NOW WELL UNDERWAY
(Posted 31st May 2015)
Air Madagascar has since the beginning of the year taken delivery of the first of two brand new state of the art ATR72-600 aircraft as part of a short haul fleet renewal. The new aircraft arrived at the airline’s hub at Antananarivo’s Iveto Airport on March 22nd registered as 5R-EJA (MSN 1239) and a second such aircraft, production number MSN 1248, with no firm delivery date provided as yet, is according to information received from an aviation source due to arrive in June.
From 2017 onwards should a further three such planes be delivered, to replace the ageing lower capacity ATR42’s.
The new aircraft, besides the new avionics suite and more fuel efficient engines, will uplift as many as 74 passengers in an all economy cabin while the older -42 types only offer 49 seats.
Long haul services to Europe, in order to escape the notorious EU Blacklist, are provided by Airbus A340-300 aircraft leased from Air France and maintained under EASA regulations. Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news updates from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.
