The announcement was made by the manufacturer in the framework of the Dubai Airshow 2021, one of the most important aeronautical fairs in the world. In total, Binter has acquired 40 ATR aircraft that since 2002, when it became a 100% Canarian company.
The airline Binter has signed with aircraft manufacturer ATR the acquisition of five new aircraft of the model 72-600, with the option of more units, thanks to a financing agreement with a banking consortium made up of the main Spanish banks (Banco Santander, Caixabank, BBVA and Banco Sabadell). The new aircraft are valued at a total of $ 100 million.
The announcement was made by ATR within the framework of the Dubai Airshow 2021, one of the most important aeronautical fairs in the world, the first to be held after the pandemic, which brings together about 1,200 exhibitors from 148 countries from November 14 to 18.
The new aircraft will be incorporated into the fleet of the Canarian company, which operates one of the largest fleets of this aircraft in the world and which will have 23 aircraft of this model, ATR 72-600, to provide services on inter-island routes.
The president of Binter, Rodolfo Núñez, points out that this new purchase is one more example of the process of continuous modernization of the airline’s aircraft with the aim of having one of the most modern fleets in the country, improving service to passengers and the operability of the company.
“The ATR 72 is a very versatile aircraft with characteristics that adapt very well to the operation of short and medium-range regional flights, proving over the years that it is suitable for most of the company’s routes“, Núñez points out.
The aircraft model of which the Canarian airline has just acquired five new units has the latest technologies in the field of assisted navigation tools and the highest standards of comfort for passengers, who can enjoy more space between rows and larger luggage compartments. In addition, as they are turboprops, they have the energy advantage of using less fuel than jet aircraft.
For his part, the CEO of ATR, Stefano Bartoli, maintains that “the long association between Binter and ATR goes back to the first delivery of the plane, we have seen them strengthen as an airline. Their assertion of our product makes it a true seal of approval and shows that our ATR has been reliable and profitable for the company and that passengers have enjoyed the experience on board. We will continue to introduce innovations that offer real value to airlines to provide the most sustainable and economical solution to connect local communities.”
The renewal of the Binter fleet has been a constant since the airline was acquired by Canarian investors in 2002, and since then it has involved an investment of 800 million dollars in the purchase of 35 aircraft from ATR.
According to CH-Aviation, the Canarian company has one of the youngest fleets in Europe, with an average of 4.8 years
Binter has transported more than 55 million passengers from its origins, not only on island routes in the Canary Islands, but also on the direct connections that the company operates with destinations in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, West Africa, Portugal, France and Italy .
