Saudi Arabia’s Nesma Airlines becomes new ATR operator

The airline introduces two ATR 72-600s in Saudi Arabia, leased from Dubai Aerospace Entreprise, and signs Global Maintenance Agreement with ATR

Toulouse, 1st April 2016 – Nesma Airlines today took delivery of their two first ATR 72-600s. These aircraft will operate in Saudi Arabia, where the airline is developing regional connectivity with the support of the national government. 

The two aircraft delivered today at the ATR manufacturing facilities in France are leased from Dubai Aerospace Entreprise (DAE) Ltd.

On the occasion of the delivery, Nesma Airlines and ATR also signed an 8-year Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA). Under this GMA, ATR will provide Nesma Airlines with a comprehensive technical support for their ATR 72-600 aircraft. The agreement includes a spare parts inventory on lease at airline’s premises, the access to ATR’s spare part pools offering up-front exchange and timely availability, and the single channel management by ATR of the maintenance, repair and overhaul of propellers, engines, landing gears, and LRUs (Line Replaceable Units). The GMA includes also a direct delivery of these equipments at the customer’s premises through a tailored door-to-door service. 

In addition to the availability and repair services, ATR will also handle airframe maintenance for “C” checks and calendar inspections of the aircraft. The Global Maintenance Agreement will help the airline to ease maintenance costs and tasks, while providing accurate and timely services and the expertise and knowledge from the aircraft manufacturer.

Faisal Al Turki, Chief Executive Officer of Nesma Airlines, declared: “We are honored to receive our first regional aircraft and start developing short-haul connectivity in Saudi Arabia with these versatile and efficient aircraft. The ATR 72-600s have proven their robustness and suitability for all types of regional operations worldwide, and have also become a reference in terms of comfort and leading-edge technologies”.

Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE, underlined “the strong attractiveness of the newest ATR 72-600s for leasing firms. This is, by far, the preferred regional aircraft in the market. It provides us with outstanding commercial opportunities allowing to expand our customer portfolio and to optimally diversify our business, with the most modern and cost-efficient regional aircraft.

Patrick de Castelbajac, ATR’s Chief Executive Officer, declared “We are pleased to welcome an operator that has ambitious plans to expand regional air connectivity across Saudi Arabia.  As seen in recent months, we strongly believe in the potential of our newest and most technologically updated ATR -600s for the development and upgrade of short-haul networks in the Middle East”.