ATR Steps Up Engagement With Malaysian Stakeholders To Tap Fleet Renewal, Expansion Potential
TAIPEI, July 27 (Bernama) -- The French-Italian turboprop aircraft maker ATR is intensifying its engagement with Malaysian stakeholders, citing strong potential for fleet renewal and expansion to revive regional connectivity, particularly in underserved domestic routes.
ATR senior vice president and chief commercial officer Alexis Vidal said the Malaysian market remains a key part of the company’s growth strategy in Asia-Pacific, as it offers unique opportunities for both aircraft replacement and network expansion.
“Malaysia plays an important role. There is potential to have more than the 20 ATR aircraft in-country today and to grow that further,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the ATR–UNI Air signing ceremony here recently.
It was reported that ATR is in talks with Malaysian operators, including Sarawak-owned Air Borneo, to explore the sale of its turboprops following Air Borneo’s plan to replace MASwings Sdn Bhd’s older generation ATR 72-500 series with the ATR 72-600 series.
Air Borneo is in the process of acquiring MASwings, which currently operates eight ATR 72-500s and six DCH-6-400 Twin Otter aircraft, from Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd.
Supporting Subang and Beyond
According to Vidal, ATR’s 72-600 aircraft is well-suited for Malaysia’s airport network, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, where many runways are not equipped with full instrument landing systems (ILS).
“With our full glass cockpit and satellite navigation capability, the 72-600 can land safely even at airports without ILS.
“ATR aircraft are ideal for regions lacking jet infrastructure,” he added.
He said that ATR sees value in reviving regional routes from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) and other secondary airports that were historically served by turboprops but are now underserved due to operational or commercial limitations for jets.
“ATRs can recreate a lot of air connectivity on routes that are no longer flown today — either because the demand is too thin for larger aircraft or the airport infrastructure does not support jets,” he said.
Asked on what kind of support ATR would like to see from Malaysian stakeholders to help accelerate turboprop fleet renewal and expansion, Vidal pointed to several structural enablers.
“In countries where governments have a strong vision to ensure air service connectivity — like Malaysia’s Rural Air Services scheme — ATR can play a vital role,” he said.
He added that Malaysia’s policy direction under the National Transport Policy provides a good foundation, but there is room to expand support through infrastructure improvements and slot management.
“For example, deploying more infrastructure or upgrading some of the airfields to accommodate aircraft like the ATR could be impactful,” he said.
He also proposed that stakeholders consider reserving airport slots specifically for regional aircraft to ensure connectivity between secondary routes and longer-haul international services.
“There are many things countries can do — whether through subsidies, financing schemes, airport infrastructure or slot management, to support regional air connectivity. And ATR is a very good platform to fulfil that vision,” Vidal said, adding that beyond regulatory support, ATR has continued to innovate on product design.
He said the 72-600 offers a revamped Armonia cabin with wide 18-inch seats, improved luggage capacity, and new-generation Pratt & Whitney Canada (PW127XT) engines that reduce maintenance costs by 20 per cent and improve fuel efficiency by at least three per cent.
“In terms of cabin design, the new series has been upgraded with a new air-conditioning and purification system and an ergonomic seat design, while the seating capacity has been changed to 72 seats.
“These upgrades benefit both the airline and the passenger — with a better flying experience and lower operating costs,” Vidal said.
-- BERNAMA
