South Pacific carrier Air Vanuatu has begun operations with the ATR 72-600 twin turboprop.
The airline already has two earlier-generation ATR 72-500s on strength and has operated the type since 2004.
The new aircraft, in a 70-seat configuration, will operate both domestic services in the Vanuatu archipelago 1,750km/945nm east of Australia, as well as to other islands in the region including Fiji, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands.
The carrier said the aircraft’s 120-minute ETOPS certification “substantially increased” its operational versatility among the region’s widely spaced territories.
The new aircraft has been leased from Nordic Aviation capital. Air Vanuatu CEO Joseph Laloyer welcomed the -600’s enhanced comfort and performance compared to its predecessors.