Lao Airlines, the national flag carrier of Laos, is about to introduce ATR ‘-500 series’ aircraft into its fleet with the delivery, in the coming weeks, of its first ATR 72-500. The aircraft, configured with 70 seats, equipped with the ATR’s Elegance Cabin and powered by PW 127M engines, will join the current fleet of 2 ATR 72-200s of the airline. Their second ATR 72-500 on order will be delivered later this year. With the delivery of these two ATR ‘-500 series’ aircraft, Lao Airlines, which operates ATRs since 1994, will expand its domestic and regional network, while increasing its total fleet capacity, with aircraft reputed by their very low operating and maintenance costs and their very high standards of passenger comfort.

Commenting on this first delivery, Somphone Douangdara, Lao Airlines CEO, underlined the “long term cooperation and excellent relationship with ATR. We have been operating ATRs for 15 years and we are very satisfied with their unbeatable performance both in reliability and in economics. We are pleased to further expand our partnership, and we are convinced the ATRs are definitely the right choice to respond to the demand of regional transportation in Laos and in South East Asia, especially if the take into account the expected fuel cost increase in the next years.”

Source: ATR