Myanmar’s airline upgrades fleet

FARNBOROUGH, 18 July 2014: Myanmar’s state-owned airline has signed a deal for up to a dozen new-generation ATR propeller-driven planes as part of a project to become a major regional carrier, it said on Wednesday.
Myanma Airways signed a deal with the European planemaker ATR for six ATR 72-600s with options for six more, the pair announced on the sidelines of the Farnborough air show near London.
No financial details were disclosed.
The planes, scheduled for delivery from 2015 through 2017, will replace Myanma Airways’ existing fleet made by ATR, which is co-owned by Airbus Group and Italian aerospace group Finmeccanica.
“The acquisition of these new ATRs forms part of the carrier’s ambitious strategy to establish a regional route network and to establish Myanma Airways as a major player in the region,” said a joint statement.
However, airline officials in Yangon have not clearly identified where the airline should fly, but it is understood expansion would probably begin with flights to neighbouring Thailand.
The new ATR will be used on domestic routes, while there is a plan to lease A320s to develop routes to ASEAN capital cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Sourced: ttrweekly