From December 11 to 14, an ATR 72-600 in the colours of Air Sénégal will embark on a demonstration tour in three West African countries. The best-selling regional aircraft in the below-90-seats category will touch down in Bamako (Mali), Accra (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) to complete the first flight demonstration of an ATR -600 series aircraft in West Africa.

This promotional campaign will allow the manufacturer to highlight the many advantages of the ATR 72-600, which make it the most suitable tool for developing regional connectivity in Africa, especially between capitals and mid-sized cities. The ATR-600 series stands out for its economic performance, with much lower operating costs than its main competitor, translating into savings of around US$1 million per aircraft, per year. The ATR 72-600 also offers the lowest fuel consumption in its category, a difference of 40% compared to its principal competitor. The ATR 72-600 is also known for its modern and comfortable cabin interior, as well as for its operational flexibility, which allows it to operate on unpaved runways and in airports with limited infrastructure.

Christian Scherer, ATR's Chief Executive Officer, commented on this demo tour: "With its energy efficiency and its low maintenance and operating costs, the ATR 72-600 perfectly aligns with the needs of airlines operating short-haul flights in Africa. It is a reliable, comfortable aircraft, with cutting-edge navigation technologies, recognised as the most suitable tool to open up new markets. The proof is that ATRs create about a hundred new routes every year around the world."

Over the next 20 years, 400 new air routes are expected to be opened in Africa and the Middle East and 300 turboprops should be needed to cover fleet growth, the creation of new routes and the replacement of existing fleets. Moreover, ATR is the only manufacturer to offer an aircraft capable of covering both the 50-and 70-seat segments, therefore making it possible to adapt the aircraft's capacity to market demand.

Today, about 100 ATRs are operated by 30 airlines in 18 African countries.

Contributed by ATR