ATR

Air New Zealand will buy 15 new ATR72-600 aircraft worth $375m for regional routes.

Four of the new aircraft will be used to expand its growth in regional routes while the remaining 11 will replace the airline’s ageing ATR72-500 fleet.

The 68-seat planes will increase Air New Zealand’s total ATR fleet to 29, the third largest in the world.

Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon said: "The extra four 68-seat ATR72-600 that we are adding to our fleet will enable us to operate up to an additional 600,000 seats into the New Zealand regional market annually.

"This latest investment will further allow us to maintain our low fare price and high frequency leadership."

"This latest investment will further allow us to maintain our low fare price and high frequency leadership.

"Once these new aircraft arrive, we will operate a fleet of 29 ATR aircraft, the third largest ATR fleet in the world, which is testament to the breadth and depth of our regional network."

The airline previously ordered 14 ATR72-600 aircraft, and received the delivery of seven aircraft. The remaining are scheduled for mid-2016, while deliveries of the latest order will begin by the end of the same year.

In October, Luxon stated the airline will invest $2.6bn in the next four years to buy new aircraft, including seven Dreamliners.

The airline currently operates ten 19-seat Beech 1900D and 23 50-seat Bombardier Q300 aircraft.

Image: The deliveries of the new aircraft will begin next year. Photo: courtesy of ATR.