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SINGAPORE—ATR has secured some notable orders in Asia-Pacific over the past year, and the manufacturer also sees significant market opportunities for fleet replacement and growth in this region.
Taiwan’s Uni Air ordered 19 ATR 72-600s in June, which was ATR’s largest order since 2017. AirBorneo announced an order for eight ATR 42 and 72 turboprops coinciding with the Singapore Airshow on Feb. 3. ATR is also believed to have undisclosed orders in the region.
ATR was also very active with aircraft deliveries to Asia-Pacific airlines in 2025.
There are currently about 500 ATRs with 70 operators in the Asia-Pacific region, ATR CCO Alexis Vidal told Aviation Week at the Singapore Airshow.
ATR forecasts global demand for 2,100 turboprops globally over the next 20 years, with about 1,000 of those from the Asia-Pacific region. India represents 210 of the projected Asia-Pacific orders. This highlights the importance of the Asia-Pacific market, Vidal said.
There are currently 70 ATR aircraft operational in India, including 45 with IndiGo. So ATR sees potential for both replacement and major fleet growth.
The same applies in Japan, where there are 21 ATR turboprops in operation. Japan’s major airlines have been examining their regional fleet strategies, particularly given a shrinking population. There is the prospect of replacing regional jets with turboprops on some routes, Vidal said.
In general, there has been growing demand for replacement orders for older ATR 72-600s with newer versions, as many of these aircraft are about 15 years old, Vidal said.
ATR has seen growing interest in its HighLine premium cabin products in the Asia-Pacific region. HighLine includes multiple configurations with different premium seats.
The manufacturer has four customers for HighLine products so far, and three are in Asia-Pacific. They are Air Tahiti, Berjaya Air and Air Cambodia. The first deliveries to Air Berjaya with a full HighLine business-class configuration are expected in the first quarter, Vidal said, and delivery of the product to Air Tahiti will follow soon after.
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