Loganair Signs Multiple Deals for Fleet Renewal

A Loganair aircraft banks over water as it approaches to land.
Ronnie Robertson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jamie Clarke 4 Min Read
4 Min Read

LONDON – The UK’s largest regional carrier, Loganair, has announced that they have signed a new deal to complete the final stages of their fleet renewal program.

The New Fleet Deal


Loganair has signed a new $12 million purchase agreement with the French turboprop manufacturer, ATR, for eight next-generation turboprop aircraft. These new eight aircraft are pinned to replace the carriers ageing remaining Saab 340B aircraft, of which the oldest is nearly 34 years old and the youngest being nearly 30 years old.

At present, Loganair operates six Saab 340B aircraft all named as – Spirit of Lewis, Spirit of Islay, Spirit of Harris, Spirit of Edinburgh, Spirit of Orkney and Spirit of Benbecula after well-known locations throughout Scotland. All of these aircraft have a configuration of 34 all-economy class seats.

The new eight ATRs are pinned to join the Loganair fleet throughout 2023. Loganair currently operates a fleet of 15 ATR turboprop aircraft, broken down as, five ATR 42-500’s, two ATR 42-600’s, four ATR 72-500 Freighters and four ATR 72-600’s. The ATR 42 aircraft have an all-economy class configuration with 48 seats, whereas the ATR 72’s have an all-economy class configuration with 72 seats.

The new ATRs will bring a further 27% reduction in carbon emissions per seat for Loganair which will certainly help towards the carriers goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Loganair has also begun training its pilots, cabin crew and engineers to work on these new aircraft, with the Glasgow-based employees currently being trained as we speak, given that these new aircraft will be first introduced on routes from Glasgow to Islay, Benbecula, Derry, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Kirkwall during the first quarter of 2023.

Loganair Senior Comments


Loganair’s Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Hinkles, has commented on the carriers latest move, saying, “When selecting our future fleet, it is important to have an aircraft that builds on our environmental standards, while withstanding island weather conditions and offering accessibility to all customers in the communities we serve – we have all of these attributes and more in the ATR turboprop found.”

“Our multi-million pound investment in ATR aircraft will ensure connectivity for future generations within the Highlands and Islands air network on which so many communities depend. We operate the vast majority of highland and island routes on a purely commercial basis, with no direct subsidies – unlike other modes of transport – and we fund the introduction of new aircraft ourselves.”

ATR’s Chief Executive Officer, Nathalie Tarnaud, has also added, “We are delighted that Loganair – one of Europe’s most successful and long-established regional airlines – is switching to ATR aircraft. They are the most environmentally friendly aircraft in their class and offer customers more comfort and quietness in the cabin.”

“With over 1,600 ATR aircraft in service worldwide and production ongoing to date, we are confident that Loganair made the right choice for its future fleet and we look forward to further expanding our partnership in the years to come.”

Overall


It is great to see Loganair investing even more into their fleet renewal with yet more ATR aircraft. They will provide additional seating capacity, which will enable them not only to just backfill the routes the Saab 340Bs served, but also grow them as well.

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