Maldivian To Become New ATR Operator

Maldivian ATR 72-600 & ATR 42-600  - Image courtesy of ATR

On January 18, 2022, Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) announced a purchase order for two ATR 72-600s and one ATR 46-200 for Male-based airline Maldivian, which is set to become the newest operator of the ATR fleet. The airline has a fleet of 1 Airbus A320 and A321, 1 - De Havilland Dash 8 Q200, 1- De Havilland Canada Dash 8, 1 - De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.

“Despite the current pandemic, operators are looking to the future, and this contract is a strong symbol of the resilience of the aviation sector. Our aircraft have proven their reliability by linking up the islands of many archipelagos for almost four decades; we welcome Maldivian as a new customer, and we are proud to contribute sustainably to the modernization and expansion of the flag carrier of the Maldives.” - said Stefano Bortoli, ATR’s CEO. 

The Image Above: Maldivian Route Heatmap provided by AirNav RadarBox

Domestic travel between the Maldives, a group of islands known for its pristine beaches, blue lagoons, and extensive reefs has been primarily carried out by the Air Maldivian fleet. 

Maldivian CEO, Mohamed Mihad, states that: “We are pleased to take this next step in our expansion plans with ATR. We believe the new generation of ATR aircraft with the XT engines offer something we have been looking for in our fleet modernization, taking a step towards sustainability while keeping an eye on the operating costs as well as enhancing the cabin modernity and passenger comfort.” 

The Image Above: Maldivian fleet utilization statistics provided by AirNav RadarBox

The De Havilland Dash 8 Q200 and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 are the most used aircraft by the Maldivian flag carrier, with 4.4 and 4.7 scheduled flights per day. However, the A320 and A321 are used for long-haul flights, while the Dash 8 is used for short-haul flights.

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