Olympic Air Takes Delivery of Brand New ATR 72-600, Continuing Its Fleet Modernization

The big 2 aircraft manufacturers, 3 if you include Embraer in the mix, take all the headlined, however, ATR is key player in the industry with its nearing STOL capable turboprop aircraft. ATR planes are the backbone to many small airfield operations. That is also the case at Olympic Air, an Aegean subsidiary operating short island hops across the Greek archipelago. They have recently taken delivery of a brand new ATR 72 and still have 2 more on order as they move forward in their fleet modernization.

Olympic Air Welcomes Its Latest ATR 72-600

The newest Olympic Air fleet addition is an ATR72-600 registered SX-OBU. The aircraft arrived on October 3rd from the Toulouse ATR assembly line, and has since been operating short regional flights.

Olympic Air, although it brings to mind the former Greek flag carrier Olympic Airlines, is part of the Aegean group. The subsidiary takes care of short island hops for the main brand operating a fleet of ATR and DHC Dash 8.

This latest addition to the fleet is more important than might seem at a first glance. 15 out of the 18 aircraft in the fleet are 10 years or older. These turboprops are used heavily every day going through up to 10 pressurization cycles. That takes a heavy toll on the aircraft. Efficiency is also an issue. Older planes have higher fuel burns that in turn cost the airline more money.

That’s why it’s time to renovate the fleet for Olympic Air. Additionally to having received the latest SX-OBU ATR 72, the carrier also has another 2 of the type on order with the Italo-French aircraft manufacturer.

Strengthening Regional Connectivity Across Greece

The new fleet additions will bring along two benefits to Olympic Air and the Aegean group:

• Better fuel efficiency on every flight, which will translate to money saved and higher operating margins.
• More capacity, enabling the airline to operate more flights, especially during the busy summer months when tourists flock to Greece and its many islands.

Looking at the bigger picture this is part of Aegean’s push to expand operations within and beyond Greece. Aegean has recently taken a significant stake in Volotea, a Spanish LCC, which testifies to how the airline’s ambitions are growing.

A Gradual Renewal of the Turboprop Fleet

The fleet renovation will continue with another two aircraft. Those too, as mentioned will be ATR 72-600s. They are expected to arrive in Greece and operate for Olympic Air by December 2026. That won’t drastically change the airline’s fleet average age, but it will start to move the needle in the right direction.