Toki Air, a new Japanese airline, and regional aircraft manufacturer ATR, have announced the delivery of an ATR 72-600 via lessor NAC. Covered by a ten-year ATR Global Maintenance Agreement, the aircraft will support Toki Air’s mission of revitalising Niigata city and the surrounding regions of Japan, with operations starting in 2023.
As the fourth airline to operate ATR aircraft in Japan, Toki Air’s name comes from an ancestral bird – also called Japanese crested ibis – and is a symbol of the preservation of nature in Japan. It represents the airline’s commitment to connecting areas that co-exist with nature, operating the lowest CO2 emissions and most fuel-efficient aircraft.
Toki Air’s representative director, Masaki Hasegawa, commented: “Thanks to their unrivalled versatility and responsible and affordable performance, ATR aircraft are the ideal choice for us as an airline and for our country. This first aircraft will allow us to serve our higher purpose by providing a responsible and reliable air connection to the communities of the Niigata Prefecture and surrounding regions.”
ATR CEO, Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, added: “Our long-term relationship with NAC and the confidence of the lessors’ community in our aircraft allow new airlines such as Toki Air to offer their passengers the most modern and sustainable aircraft on the regional market.”
Through the ATR Global Maintenance Agreement, ATR will provide support to the airline with reliable and efficient services.
There are currently 15 ATR aircraft flying across the country and ATR foresees a potential for 100 ATR aircraft in the medium term.
