LONDON – The newest Japanese regional airline Toki Air has signed a ten year contract with ATR GMA to support its brand new fleet of ATR regional commuter aircraft.
At the MRO Asia Pacific on the 22nd of September 2022, one of the world’s most well-known regional aircraft makers ATR signed a contract with Toki Air, a new regional Japanese airline itself is the fourth operator of ATRs in the country.
The airline also aims to use the ATR for services to and from the city of Niigata to surrounding cities in the prefecture. The ATRs will play a major role in the increased connectivity in the region, which will benefit the local economy of the area.
Toki Air ensures that its new batch of ATR aircraft will greatly serve the area and that the ATR will be a reliable regional workhorse. The 10-year-long contract with ATR GMA will cover the onsite stock, Line Replaceable Unit Pool Exchange Service, Line Replaceable Unit Repair Service, propeller blades and landing gears. These items are crucial for the safe operations of any ATR aircraft.
Toki Air statement
Representative Director of Toki Air, Masaki Hasegawas said: “Starting our operations with ATR aircraft covered by the ATR GMA means that we will be able to offer a responsible and reliable air connection to communities of Niigata and the surrounding regions.”
“Selecting the ATR GMA ensures that we will benefit from the manufacturer’s expertise and we have the right infrastructure in place to optimise our operations. The availability and depth of support offered by the GMA make it the best option available for ATR operators and the right choice for us.”
ATR statement
David Brigante, SVP Programmes and Customer Service of ATR, commented: “Toki Air is dedicated to revitalising some remote regions and supplying essential connectivity to help Japanese people living in remote areas link to larger hubs.”
“Choosing ATR aircraft with a ten-year GMA contract to support their ambition is a real vote of confidence for us. We are pleased to count Toki Air as one of our new operators and provide the right solution through our aircraft and services to support a common vision.”
For over 2 decades, European aircraft manufacturer ATR has played a crucial role in supporting its customer’s needs through its GMA programme. The GMA inevitably reduced the operating and maintenance costs of operators and align them with the highest standards of support and customer service.
This ATR-owned GMA service is a maintenance programme which is a highly customised tailor-made pay-by-the-hour maintenance programme which is better to predict future maintenance costs (expected and unexpected). This also improves dispatch times and streamlines operations, thanks to the digitalised solutions to finding pools of reliable spare parts.
Who is Toki Air?
The airline is a new formed Japanese regional carrier, that is preparing to spread its wings this year, and to be based at Niigata Airport. The airline’s slogan “More freedom in the sky” is to offer its passenger a streamlined service, and also opting efficient management solutions to set standards for regional carriers in the country.
