(KPL) Lao Airlines signed a document last week to purchase a new aircraft “ATR 72-500 from the Southern France-based regional aircraft manufacturer ATR.
The agreement was signed during Lao Airlines delegation attended the Singapore Airshow in Singapore last week, according to www.arabianbusiness.com published last week.
This aircraft is the first ‘500 series' ATR for the airline, which already operates two ATR 72-200.
This new 70-seat ATR will be equipped with the "Elegance" cabin and also equipped with state-of-the-art technological innovations in passenger comfort, communications and navigation aid tools. The aircraft will be delivered in 2009. Commenting on the deal, Dr. Somphone Douangdara, Lao Airlines CEO, declared: "Following the success of the operations with our two first ATRs, we are pleased to augment our fleet with the well known advantages of the ‘-500' ATRs, such as enhanced comfort and the lowest operating cost per seat. With our brand new aircraft we will increase the total capacity of our fleet, in order to face the development of our network and the launch new routes".
And he concluded: "The ease of maintenance of the ATRs is also an important point in our decision to add another ATR 72 to our fleet."
Stephane Mayer, ATR CEO, underlined "the success of the ATR aircraft in the South East Asia, reinforced in the last months with important sales in Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and now Laos". He added: "In the last three years, we have signed more than 100 firm orders with Asian companies. The reliability and the performance of our aircraft, coupled with our strong support facilities, are well known by our customers in Asia".
And concluded: "We are very pleased that, for the expansion of its network, Lao Airlines confirmed its confidence in the ATR family of aircraft".
what i like to see lao airline do is.... try to compete with thai airline on a daily flights from VTE to BKK.. offer a lower price and better departure time than thai airline.. i like to see lao airline with 2 daily flights to BKK, which meant.. force the thai airline back to 1 daily flight to VTE.
as for majority of us that are living aboard... when we are traveling back home to Laos.. we really hate to wait at the airport for 7 or 8 hrs before any flight available... i think most of people would agree with me on this one..
