Cabo Verde Airlines ATR 72-600
The fleet of West African carrier Cabo Verde Airlines has been boosted by the arrival of two former IndiGo-operated ATR 72-600s from regional-focused lessor TrueNoord.
Provided through long-term operating leases, the turboprops will be based at Praia International Airport on Cape Verde’s Santiago Island and mark the first ATR 72-600s to join the operator’s fleet. MSN 1512 arrived at Praia earlier in September and will be followed by the second aircraft, MSN 1514, before the end of the month.
The new additions are intended to boost the airline’s ability to meet the increasing mobility demands within the country.
“Intra-island connectivity is a geographic necessity and vital for the economy of the country,” says Maarten Grift, sales director at TrueNoord.
Grift says aviation in Africa is experiencing above-average growth in passenger numbers, despite market challenges, and TrueNoord’s customer base on the continent is expanding.
“African airlines operating domestic and regional routes are actively looking to expand their fleets,” Grift says. “We are seeing a strong increase in demand for all regional aircraft types, but in particular turboprop aircraft, which are well suited to providing efficient and frequent connectivity across Africa’s diverse and often challenging terrain.”
According to data from CAPA–Centre for Aviation, Cabo Verde Airlines experienced significant domestic disruptions starting Aug. 22 due to operational issues and fleet limitations, including the removal from service of one ATR 72-500 and one Dash 8-300 after incidents on Aug. 31.
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