On the occasion of the Paris Airshow, ATR and Canary Islands-based Islas Airways unveiled an option for 2 ATR 72-500s on June 20, additionally to the purchase of 6 ATR 72-500 already agreed last March. Stephane Mayer, who on June 1 succeeded Filippo Bagnato as ATR CEO, and Miguel Concepcion Caceres, Islas Airways CEOs respectively, inked the deal in Le Bourget.

The aircraft will be configured with 70 seats and will be equipped with the new "Elegance Cabin", Light Emitting Diode (LED) and with the newest technological innovations in the field of communications and navigation aid tools. Deliveries will start this year and will continue through 2009.

Islas Airways has decided to renew its fleet with new generation ATRs in order to benefit from the many advantages of these aircraft and provide better capacity and frequency in the main routes within the islands of the archipelago.

Stephane Mayer stated: "This additional option strengths the links we have established with Islas Airways and confirms their confidence in our new-generation aircraft for the updating of the fleet. By the increasing presence of our '-500 series' aircraft in Canarian fleets, we are contributing to the sustainable development in the archipelago. This is a major commitment for ATR, the green player of the regional market."

Miguel Concepcion Caceres declared: "The ATR aircraft are the optimal choice for the interisland operations, and have proven themselves for years in the Canary Islands. This high reputation, related, among others, to their comfort, efficiency and reliability are key factors in our decision of purchasing these aircraft and adding option for additional new aircraft. We believe in ATR and in a long and successful partnership between us."

Since the beginning of the year, ATR has received orders for 53 new aircraft, some of them not yet unveiled. Since the beginning of the programme, ATR has sold 890 aircraft (416 ATR 42s and 474 ATR 72s) and has delivered 727 (393 ATR 42s and 334 ATR 72s), thus posting a current backlog of 163 aircraft.

Photograph: From left to right: Filippo Bagnato, Chairman of the Board of ATR; Miguel Concepcion Caceres, Islas Airways CEO and Stephane Mayer, ATR CEO.