Caribbean Airlines Fleet Expansion Moves Forward

Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) has received its third Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet expansion.

The new plane ATR 72-600 is configured with 68 seats and is said to be equipped with a higher standard of comfort, including in-flight entertainment.

Commenting on the arrival, CAL's acting chief executive officer Robert Corbie said,' The arrival of this third ATR is a significant milestone, as CAL moves toward a streamlined fleet of turbo-prop, narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. With this eventual streamlining, we will see increased efficiency in the utilisation of flight crew and maintenance resources.'

Chairman Rabindra Moonan underscored the value of the investment:' While any aircraft acquisition is not a simple process, this represents the deep commitment to viable connectivity for Tobago and the many citizens that rely on the air bridge for their inter-island transport.'

The new airline is expected to increase capacity and offer customers more travel options and flexibility on the air bridge between Trinidad and Tobago.

' Additionally, the efficiency of the air bridge is a major factor in growing local and international tourism airlift into the sister isle. CAL continues to work closely with our industry partners to build the tourism plant and generate revenues for local reinvestment,' Moonan added.

This aircraft joins the other two ATRs already on the domestic route.

In November and December of 2011 CAL received its first and second ATR aircraft. In all, nine ATR aircraft are to be received by the airline.

The airline said that it chose the ATR 600 series to replace its ageing Dash-8 fleet and is expected to see reduced fuel consumption and operating costs, whilst increasing passenger capacity and flight frequency. Caribbean Airlines currently operates the ATR fleet on its inter-regional routes.