Indonesia's Lion Air has inked an order for 27 ATR 72-600s, in a deal worth $610 million, for its regional subsidiary Wings Air.
The aircraft, to be delivered by 2015, will make Wings Air the largest ATR operator worldwide.
With the new order, the carrier will have a fleet of 60 turboprops, consisting of 20 ATR 72-500s and 40 ATR 72-600s.
Financing for the aircraft has been guaranteed and Lion Air expects to receive its first -600 in November, said its president director Rusdi Kirana, at the Singapore Airshow.
Wings Air has another 17 ATR aircraft undelivered from earlier orders.
The 44 turboprops to be delivered to Wings Air will develop new routes departing mainly from Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua islands. Some of the aircraft will also replace and complement Wings Air's MD-80s and Lion Air's Boeing 737s operating from these airports.
Lion Air already made news at the air show when it signed a firm order for 201 Boeing 737 Max and ordered an additional 29 Boeing 737-900 ERs in a combined deal worth $22.4 billion.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
