Dubai aircraft lessor boosts fleet with more ATR passenger planes

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, which counts among its clients airlines including Emirates, easyJet and Oman Air, has acquired 14 ATR turboprop aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services.

A DAE ATR72-600. The Dubai company has added 14 more of the aircraft to its fleet. Courtesy Dubai Aerospace Enterprise
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Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), which it says is the biggest aircraft lessor in the Middle East, has completed the purchase of a portfolio of ATR 72-600 aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services.

The acquisition brings the total number of owned and committed ATR 72-600 aircraft in DAE’s fleet from 43 to 57, making DAE one of the largest lessors of the ATR 72-600 worldwide. In addition, it has options with ATR for a further 20 aircraft of the same type, direct from the France-based Franco-Italian plane maker. ATR manufactures two sizes of turboprop aircraft, the 70-seat ATR 72 and the 50-seat ATR 42.

As well as DAE, ATR aircraft are used by airlines including Lion Group’s carriers Wings Air in Indonesia, Malindo Air in Malaysia and Thai Lion Air, plus Air France and Sweden’s BRA among others.

DAE said it supplies aircraft to clients including Emirates, EVA, SAS, Garuda, easyJet, Oman Air, EgyptAir and 25 other airlines.

It said the latest deal falls in line with its long-term strategic interest in ATR aircraft, of which it ultimately expects to own up to 100.

“DAE firmly believes in the potential of the ATR 72-600 in regional networks, both in terms of its technical capabilities as well as the superior customer experience it provides,” said Khalifa AlDaboos, the managing director of the company. “Especially in emerging markets, the ATR 72-600 has proven to be an invaluable asset that we will continue to invest in.”

The acquisition brings DAE's total fleet to 126 owned, managed and committed aircraft. Aside from the ATR aircraft, the company has 14 Boeing 777s, 26 737s, three Airbus A350s and 26 smaller Airbus aircraft in its portfolio.

The company said it could not comment on the value of the ATR deal or the cost of the planes on option.

chnelson@thenational.ae

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